An Act To Authorize a Person Whose Operator's License Is Suspended Due to Failure To Pay Child Support To Drive to and from a Place of Employment
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1507
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: KINNEY, EDGECOMB, HANLEY, HARRINGTON, HEAD, ORDWAY, PICKETT, SEAVEY, TUELL, VACHON
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2459

Legislative Document 
No. 1507 
H.P. 1030 
House of Representatives, December 23, 2015 
An Act To Authorize a Person Whose Operator's License Is 
Suspended Due to Failure To Pay Child Support To Drive to and 
from a Place of Employment 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 21, 2015.  Referred to the Committee on 
Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative KINNEY of Knox. 
Cosponsored by Senator EDGECOMB of Aroostook and 
Representatives: HANLEY of Pittston, HARRINGTON of Sanford, HEAD of Bethel, 
ORDWAY of Standish, PICKETT of Dixfield, SEAVEY of Kennebunkport, TUELL of East 
Machias, VACHON of Scarborough. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §2459, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and 
affected by Pt. B, §5 and amended by PL 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §7, is further amended to 
read: 
4.  Temporary license.  Upon being presented with a conditional release issued by 
the Commissioner of Health and Human Services and at the request of an individual 
whose operator's license, permit or privilege to operate has been suspended under this 
section, the Secretary of State may issue the individual a temporary license valid for a 
period not to exceed 120 days.  This subsection does not apply to a work-restricted 
license issued pursuant to subsection 4-A. 
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §2459, sub-§4-A is enacted to read: 
4-A.  Work-restricted license.  The Commissioner of Health and Human Services, 
at the request of an individual whose operator's license, permit or privilege to operate has 
been suspended under this section, may issue a conditional release to the individual for a 
work-restricted license and the Secretary of State may stay a suspension during the 
statutory suspension period and issue a work-restricted license if the individual shows by 
clear and convincing evidence, as determined by the commissioner, that: 
A.  The individual needs a license to operate a motor vehicle between the residence 
and a place of employment or in the scope of employment, or both; 
B.  The individual has no alternative means of transportation between the residence 
and a place of employment; and 
C.  The individual's operating license has not, within 10 years, been under suspension 
for an OUI offense or pursuant to section 2453 or 2453-A. 
The Secretary of State shall suspend, without preliminary hearing, the work-restricted 
license of a person who is adjudicated or convicted of any violation of the provisions of 
this Title committed during the period when a work-restricted license has been issued or 
who violates any restriction or condition of the license. 
SUMMARY 
Current law requires the Secretary of State to suspend the driver's license of a person 
who violates a court order of financial support upon certification of that violation by the 
Commissioner of Health and Human Services.  A person may request the commissioner 
issue a conditional release to the Secretary of State, who may provide the person with a 
temporary license valid for a period not to exceed 120 days. 
This bill allows a person to request a work-restricted license, similar to that issued 
when a person has been convicted of operating under the influence, to allow the person to 
operate a motor vehicle between the person's residence and a place of employment or in 
the scope of employment, or both.  The work-restricted license may be issued only if 
there is no other means of transportation available to the person and the person's license 
to operate has not been suspended for operating under the influence within the prior 10-
year period.