An Act To Amend the Laws Regarding the Operation of an All-terrain Vehicle or Snowmobile on a Controlled Access Highway
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1567
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: SAUCIER, PATRICK, EDGECOMB, MARTIN, SCHNECK, STANLEY, WHITE
Amends: 12 MRSA §13106-A, 12 MRSA §13157-A

Legislative Document 
No. 1567 
H.P. 1063 
House of Representatives, January 21, 2016 
An Act To Amend the Laws Regarding the Operation of an All-
terrain Vehicle or Snowmobile on a Controlled Access Highway 
(AFTER DEADLINE) 
(EMERGENCY) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205. 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative SAUCIER of Presque Isle. 
Cosponsored by Senator PATRICK of Oxford and 
Representatives: EDGECOMB of Fort Fairfield, MARTIN of Eagle Lake, MARTIN of 
Sinclair, McCABE of Skowhegan, McELWEE of Caribou, SCHNECK of Bangor, STANLEY 
of Medway, WHITE of Washburn. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, this legislation needs to take effect before expiration of the 90-day period 
in order to allow for the construction of multi-use trails within the rights-of-way of 
controlled access highways to be built in the summer of 2016; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §13106-A, sub-§3, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, 
§394 and affected by §422, is amended to read: 
A.  A person may operate a snowmobile upon a controlled access highway or within 
the right-of-way limits of a controlled access highway in accordance with this 
paragraph. 
(1)  A person on a properly registered snowmobile may cross controlled access 
highways by use of bridges over or roads under those highways, or by use of 
roads crossing controlled access highways at grade. 
(2)  The Commissioner of Transportation may issue special permits for 
designated crossings of controlled access highways. 
At the request of the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the 
Commissioner of Transportation may permit construction of a snowmobile trail 
within the right-of-way limits of a controlled access highway when there is an ability 
to provide for the continuity of a state-owned or state-controlled network of 
snowmobile trails in an area of new construction on or after January 1, 2016. 
(3)  A person on a properly registered snowmobile may operate the snowmobile 
within the right-of-way of a controlled access highway on a trail segment 
approved by the Commissioner of Transportation. 
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §13157-A, sub-§3, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, 
§414 and affected by §422, is amended to read: 
A.  A person may not operate an ATV upon a controlled access highway or within the 
right-of-way limits of a controlled access highway, except that: 
(1)  A person on a properly registered ATV may cross controlled access 
highways by use of bridges over or roads under those highways or by use of 
roads crossing controlled access highways at grade; and 
(2)  The Commissioner of Transportation may issue special permits for 
designated crossings of controlled access highways.; and 
At the request of the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the 
Commissioner of Transportation may permit construction of an ATV trail within the 
right-of-way limits of a controlled access highway when there is an ability to provide 
for the continuity of a state-owned or state-controlled network of ATV trails in an 
area of new construction on or after January 1, 2016. 
(3)  A person on a properly registered ATV may operate the ATV within the 
right-of-way of a controlled access highway on a trail segment approved by the 
Commissioner of Transportation. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows the Commissioner of Transportation to permit the construction of all-
terrain vehicle and snowmobile trails within the right-of-way limits of controlled access 
highways in areas of new construction.  It also permits the operations of all-terrain 
vehicles and snowmobiles on those trail segments.