An Act To Require a Public Notification and Hearing Process before Any Toll Increase by the Maine Turnpike Authority and Establish a Formal Grievance Process
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0779
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: ESPLING, BENNETT, CAREY, CHASE, PARRY, WERTS
Amends: 23 MRSA §1973, 23 MRSA §1984

Legislative Document 
No. 779 
H.P. 530 
House of Representatives, February 28, 2013 
An Act To Require a Public Notification and Hearing Process before 
Any Toll Increase by the Maine Turnpike Authority and Establish a 
Formal Grievance Process 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative ESPLING of New Gloucester. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: BENNETT of Kennebunk, CAREY of Lewiston, CHASE of 
Wells, MacDONALD of Old Orchard Beach, PARRY of Arundel, WERTS of Auburn. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  23 MRSA §1973, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2011, c. 476, §4, is further 
amended to read: 
4.  Rates.  The rate of toll at each toll facility may be revised from time to time 
subject to the conditions of this subsection. 
A-1.  The authority is prohibited from imposing variable surcharges based on the 
time of day. 
B.  A reduction in the rates of fees, fares and tolls may be given to any class of 
vehicle based upon volume of use. 
C.  Not less than 60 days prior to voting on and instituting an increase in the rate of a 
toll, the board shall: 
(1)  Provide notice of the proposed increase in the rate of the toll to the Governor 
and the Legislature and pursuant to Title 1, section 406, including publishing the 
notice on the authority's publicly accessible website; and 
(2)  Hold public hearings on the proposed increase in the rate of the toll in at least 
municipalities in geographically diverse locations in the State that will be 
affected by the increase in the rate of the toll. 
The provisions of this paragraph do not apply in the event of a natural disaster or 
other emergency. 
D.  An increase in the rate of a toll implemented in violation of paragraph C is void 
and may not take effect.  The Attorney General shall enforce the provisions of 
paragraph C by bringing an action in the Superior Court of Kennebec County to 
enjoin the authority from instituting any increase in the rate of a toll that has been 
implemented in violation of paragraph C. 
Sec. 2.  23 MRSA §1984 is enacted to read: 
§1984.  Grievance process 
The authority shall maintain a formal grievance process to receive complaints from 
the public about the board, the authority or the turnpike.  Complaints must be made in 
writing.  The authority shall make public all complaints filed pursuant to the grievance 
process under this section and every 2 years report all complaints filed to the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters. 
Sec. 3.  Rules.  The Maine Turnpike Authority shall adopt rules to carry out the 
provisions of this Act.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules 
pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires that the Maine Turnpike Authority provide notice and hold public 
hearings in at least 3 municipalities no later than 60 days before voting on and instituting 
a toll increase and establishes a grievance process to receive complaints from the public.