An Act To Improve the Safety of Vulnerable Users in Traffic and To Clarify the Responsibilities of Bicyclists and Pedestrians
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1301
Committee Amendment CA_A_S177 (Senate)
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2056, 29-A MRSA §2063

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 466, L.D. 1301, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve the Safety of Vulnerable Users in Traffic and To Clarify the Responsibilities of 
Bicyclists and Pedestrians" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 91-A in the first line (page 1, line 3 in L.D.) 
by inserting after the following: "means" the following: 'a person on a public way who is 
more vulnerable to injury than a person in an automobile, truck or other similar motor 
5 
vehicle and includes, but is not limited to' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 91-A in paragraph C in the first line (page 
1, line 7 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "way;" the following: 'or' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 91-A in paragraph D by striking out all of 
subparagraph (9) (page 1, line 20 in L.D.) 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 91-A in paragraph D in subparagraph (14) 
(page 1, line 25 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "skis; or" and inserting the 
following: 'skis.' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 91-A in paragraph D by renumbering the 
subparagraphs to read consecutively. 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 9I-A by striking out all of paragraph E 
(page 1, lines 26 and 27 in L.D.) 
Amend the bill in section 2 by striking out all of subsection 4 (page I, lines 30 to 33 
and page 2, lines 1 to 3 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'4. Requirements. A driver education course approved under this subchapter must 
include instruction that imparts the understanding and skills necessary to operate a motor 
vehicle safely in a situation in which a motorcycle or vulnerable user is sharing the road 
with that motor vehicle.' 
Amend the bill by strildng out all of sections 3 to 6 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §2056, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1999, c. 101, §I, is 
further amended to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 466, L.D. 1301 
4. 
Pedestrians in marked crosswalks. When traffic-control devices are not in 
operation, an operator must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian who is crossing within 
a marked crosswalk or to a pedestrian who has shown visible intent to enter the marked 
crosswalk. ' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 9 and 10 (page 3, lines 24 to 37 and 
Amend the bill in section 11 by striking out all of subsection 7 (page 4, lines 5 to 9 in 
L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'7. Penalties. A person 17 years of age or over who violates this s6otion subsection 
2,3, 3-A, 4, 6,9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 commits a traffic infraction for which a fine of not less 
than $25 and not more than $250 may be adjudged. A person under 17 years of age is not 
subject to a fine under this section.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 12 and 13 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 12. 29-A MRSA §2063, sub-§§10 to 13 are enacted to read: 
10. Duty to yield. A bicyclist, roller skier or other nonmotorized traffic must yield 
the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the way in a marked crosswalk who is 
proceeding in accordance with a traffic-control device as provided in section 2057 or who 
is proceeding without a traffic-control device in operation. 
For purposes of this 
subsection, "yield the right-of-way" means to slow or stop to avoid colliding with or 
causing other hann to a pedestrian. 
11. Traffic-control devices. A person operating a bicycle or roller skis shall obey a 
traffic-control device, unless otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer. A traffic-
control device confonning to the requirements for these devices is presumed to comply 
with this chapter. 
12. Stop signs. Unless direct~d tQ proceed by a law enforcement officer or traffic-
control device, a person operating a bicycle or roller skis approaching a stop sign shall 
stop and: 
A. 
Yield the right-of-way to a vehicle that has entered the intersection or that is 
approaching so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard; and 
B. Having yielded, a person operating a bicycle or roller skis may proceed. All other 
operators approaching the intersection shall yield the right-of-way to the person 
operating a bicycle or roller skis so proceeding. 
13. One-way road. On a public way posted for one-way traffic, unless directed to 
proceed by a law enforcement officer or traffic-control device, a bicycle may be ridden 
only in the direction designated.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the majority report of the Joint Standing Committee on 
Transportation. The amendment does the following. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~s 
~O 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" 11 "to S,p, 466, L.D, 1301 
1, It changes the definition of "vulnerable user" in the bill to remove motorcycles and 
to clarify that "vulnerable user" includes persons who are more vulnerable to injury than 
those in an automobile, truck or similar motor vehicle, 
2, Like the bill, it requires that driver education courses include instruction regarding 
sharing the road with a vulnerable user, but the amendment eliminates the requirement in 
the bill that instruction include at least 30 minutes, 
3, It strikes from the bill the provisions regarding pedestrians in crosswalks and 
instead adds new language to existing statute to specify that operators must yield the 
right-of-way to pedestrians who have shown visible intent to enter the marked crosswalk, 
4, It retains provisions in the bill regarding responsibilities of bicyclists that are like 
responsibilities of motor vehicle operators but consolidates most of these provisions in 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 2063, which addresses the rights and 
duties of bicyclists, 
5, It strikes all proposed new prohibitions and penalties regarding vulnerable users, 
as the conduct and penalties are covered by current law in Titles l7-A and 29-A. 
FISCAL NOTE REQVIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: OS/29/15 
.:Wac.. 
LD 1301 
LR 1066(02) 
An Act To Improve the Safety of Vulnerable Users in Traffic and To Clarify the Responsibilities of 
Bicyclists and Pedestrians 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-I'., ') 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Minor revenue decrease - General Fund 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Increases the number of traffic infractions. 
The collection of additional fines may also increase General Fund revenue by minor amounts. 
LRI066(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1