An Act Concerning the Monetary Amount of Damage That Defines a Reportable Motor Vehicle Accident
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0919
Committee Amendment CA_A_H251 (House)
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2252, 29-A MRSA §2253, 29-A MRSA §2254, 29-A MRSA §2255

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 643, L.D. 919, Bill, "An Act 
Concerning the Monetary Amount of Damage That Defines a Reportable Motor Vehicle 
Accident" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Require an Operator To Provide Evidence of Liability Insurance or 
Financial Responsibility at the Scene of an Accident' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2252, as amended by PL 1999, c. 670, § 1, is further 
amended to read: 
§2252. Accidents involving death or personal injury 
1. Operator required to stop. The operator of a vehicle involved in an accident 
anywhere that results in personal injury or death to a person shall immediately stop the 
vehicle at the scene of the accident or stop as close as possible and immediately return to 
the scene. 
2. Provide information. The operator shall remain at the scene and provide to the 
injured person or someone acting for the injured person or the operator or an occupant of 
the other vehicle: 
A. 
The operator's name and address; 
B. 
The registration number of the operator's vehicle; arul 
C. 
An opportunity to examine the driver's license if the etftef injured person or 
someone acting for the injured person or the operator or an occupant of the other 
vehicle so requests and the license is availabh; and 
D. Evidence of liability insurance or financial responsibility as required by section 
1601 if the injured person or someone acting for the injured person or the operator or 
occupant of the other vehicle so requests. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMIITEE AMENDMENT A 
"to H.P. 643, L.D. 919 
3. Render assistance. The operator shall render reasonable assistance to an injured 
person. 
4. Violation. A person commits a Class D crime if that person fails to comply with 
this section, except that a person commits a traffic infraction if that person fails to comply 
with subsection 2, paragraph D. 
5. Aggravated punishment category. Notwithstanding subsection 4, a person 
commits a Class C crime if that person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly fails to 
comply with this section and the accident resulted in serious bodily injury, as defined in 
Title 17 -A, section 2, subsection 23, or death. 
6. Dismissal. The clerk of the District Court Violations Bureau or trial court shall 
dismiss a Violation Summons and Complaint charging a person with a violation of 
subsection 2, paragraph D if that person: 
A. 
Shows the issuing law enforcement officer satisfactory evidence of liability 
insurance or financial responsibility that was in effect at the time of the alleged 
violation and the issuing officer notifies the violations bureau of that fact; or 
B. Files a timely answer to a Violation Summons and Complaint alleging a violation 
of subsection 2, paragraph D and that person presents to the court at the time of trial 
satisfactory evidence of liability insurance or financial responsibility that was in 
effect at the time of the alleged violation. 
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §2253, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected 
by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
§2253. Accidents involving vehicle damage 
1. Operator required to stop. The operator of a vehicle involved in an accident 
that results in damage to an attended vehicle shall immediately stop the vehicle at the 
scene of the accident or stop as close as possible and immediately return to the scene. 
2. Provide information. The operator shall remain at the scene and provide to the 
operator or an occupant of the other vehicle: 
A. 
The operator's name and address; 
B. 
The registration number of the operator's vehicle; aad 
C. 
An opportunity to examine the driver's license if the other operator or an 
occupant so requests and the license is available.,.; and 
D. Evidence of liability insurance or financial responsibility as required by section 
1601 if the other operator or an occupant so requests. 
. 
3. Violation. A person commits a Class E crime if that person fails to comply with 
this section, except that a person commits a traffic infraction if that person fails to comply 
with subsection 2, paragraph D. 
4. Dismissal. The clerk of the District Court Violations Bureau or trial court shall 
dismiss a Violation Summons and Complaint charging a person with a violation of 
subsection 2, paragraph D if that person: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 643, L.D. 919 
A. 
Shows the issuing law enforcement officer satisfactory evidence of liability 
insurance or financial responsibility that was in effect at the time of the alleged 
violation and the issuing officer notifies the violations bureau of that fact; or 
B. Files a timely answer to a Violation Summons and Complaint alleging a violation 
of subsection 2, paragraph D and that person presents to the court at the time of trial 
satisfactory evidence of liability insurance or financial responsibility that was in 
effect at the time of the alleged violation. 
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §2254, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected 
by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
§2254. Accidents involving unattended vehicle 
1. Operator required to stop. The operator of a vehicle involved in an accident 
that results in damage to an unattended vehicle shall immediately stop the vehicle at the 
scene of the accident or stop as close as possible and immediately return to the scene. 
2. Provide information. The operator shall notify the owner or operator of the 
unattended vehicle or shall leave on that vehicle in a conspicuous place a statement 
containing: 
A. 
The operator's name and address; 
B. 
The registration number of the operator's vehicle; and 
C. 
A statement of the circumstances of the accident. 
2-A. Evidence of financial responsibility. The operator of a vehicle involved in an 
accident that results in damage to an unattended vehicle shall provide evidence of liability 
insurance or financial responsibility as required by section 1601 if the owner or operator 
of the unattended vehicle so requests. 
3. Violation. A person commits a Class E crime if that person fails to comply with 
this section, except that a person commits a traffic infraction if that person fails to comply 
with subsection 2-A. 
4. Dismissal. The clerk of the District Court Violations Bureau or trial court shall 
dismiss a Violation Summons and Complaint charging a person with a violation of 
subsection 2-A if that person: 
A. 
Shows the issuing law enforcement officer satisfactory evidence of liability 
insurance or financial responsibility that was in effect at the time of the alleged 
violation and the issuing officer notifies the violations bureau of that fact; or 
B. Files a timely answer to a Violation Summons and Complaint alleging a violation 
of subsection 2-A and that person presents to the court at the time of trial satisfactory 
evidence of liability insurance or financial responsibility that was in effect at the time 
of the alleged violation. 
Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §2255, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected 
by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,Ii" to H.P. 643, L.D. 919 
§2255. Accidents involving property damage 
1. Notification. The operator of a vehicle involved in an accident anywhere that 
results in property damage shall take reasonable steps to notify the owner of that property 
of the accident. 
2. Provide information. The operator shall provide to the property owner: 
A. 
The operator's name and address; 
B. 
The registration number of the operator's vehicle; aOO 
C. 
An opportunity to examine the driver's license if the operator or owner of the 
property so requests and the license is available-;-; and 
D. Evidence of liability insurance or financial responsibility as required by section 
. 
1601 if the owner of the property so requests. 
3. Violation. A person commits a Class E crime if that person fails to comply with 
this section, except that a person commits a traffic infraction if that person fails to comply 
with subsection 2, paragraph D. 
4. Dismissal. The clerk of the District Court Violations Bureau or trial court shall 
dismiss a Violation Summons and Complaint charging a person with a violation of 
subsection 2, paragraph D if that person: 
A. 
Shows the issuing law enforcement officer satisfactory evidence of liability 
insurance or financial responsibility that was in effect at the time of the alleged 
violation and the issuing officer notifies the violations bureau of that fact: or 
B. Files a timely answer to a Violation Summons and Complaint alleging a violation 
of subsection 2, paragraph D and that person presents to the court at the time of trial 
satisfactory evidence of liability insurance or financial responsibility that was in 
effect at the time of the alleged violation.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which strikes and replaces the bill, requires the operator of a 
vehicle to provide evidence of liability insurance or financial responsibility if the person 
is involved in an accident not on a public way or a place where public traffic may 
reasonably be anticipated that results in personal injury or death, an accident that results 
in damage to an attended vehicle, an accident that results in damage to an unattended 
vehicle or an accident anywhere that results in property damage. The amendment also 
provides that a person commits a traffic infraction if that person fails to meet this 
requirement. 
FISCA.L ~OTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
,Approved: 05124/13 ;t;?ac 
LD919 
LR 1712(02) 
An Act Concerning the Monetary Amount of Damage That Defines a Reportable Motor Vehicle 
Accident 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'ft. (Ii ~ ~s 0 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Minor revenue increase - General Fund 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Increases traffic infractions. 
The collection of additional fmes may also increase General Fund revenue by minor amounts. 
LR1712(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1