An Act Regarding Driver's License Suspensions for Nondriving Violations
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1953
Committee: Judiciary
Sponsors: MOONEN
Amends: 14 MRSA §3141, 14 MRSA §3142, 14 MRSA §3146-A, 29-A MRSA §2605, 29-A MRSA §2605-A

Legislative Document
No. 1953
H.P. 1397
House of Representatives, January 8, 2020
An Act Regarding Driver's License Suspensions for Nondriving 
Violations
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203.
Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MOONEN of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  14 MRSA §3141, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2017, c. 462, §1, is further 
amended to read:
7.  Remedies.  Failure to pay by the date fixed by the court's order or an amended 
order subjects the defendant to the contempt procedures provided in section 3142, a 
restricted license under Title 29-A, section 2605-A and all procedures for collections 
provided for in sections 3127-A, 3127-B, 3131, 3132, 3134, 3135 and 3136.  An 
installment agreement under this section must be considered an agreement under section 
3125 and a court order to pay under section 3126-A.  In addition to other penalties 
provided by law, the court may impose on the defendant reasonable costs for any failure 
to appear.
This subsection is repealed October 1, 2021.
Sec. 2.  14 MRSA §3141, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 462, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 3.  14 MRSA §3142, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2017, c. 462, §3, is 
further amended to read:
C.  The suspension of any license, certification, registration, permit, approval or other 
similar document evidencing the granting of authority to hunt, fish or trap or to 
engage in a profession, occupation, business or industry, not including a registration, 
permit, approval or similar document evidencing the granting of authority to engage 
in the business of banking pursuant to Title 9-B or, except as provided in paragraph 
D, a motor vehicle license or permit issued by the Secretary of State, the right to 
operate a motor vehicle in this State and the right to apply for or obtain a license or 
permit, as provided in Title 29-A.  Licenses and registration subject to suspension 
include, but are not limited to:
(1)  Licenses issued by the Commissioner of Marine Resources, as provided in 
Title 12, section 6409;
(2)  Licenses issued by the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, as 
provided in Title 12, section 10902, subsection 3; and
(3)  Watercraft, snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle registrations, as provided in 
Title 12, section 10902, subsection 3.
This paragraph is repealed October 1, 2021;
Sec. 4.  14 MRSA §3142, sub-§1, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 462, §4, is 
repealed.
Sec. 5.  14 MRSA §3142, sub-§1, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 462, §5, is 
repealed.
Sec. 6.  14 MRSA §3146-A, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 462, §7, is repealed.
Sec. 7.  29-A MRSA §2605, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2017, c. 462, §8, is 
further amended to read:
1.  Suspension by clerk.  If a person fails to appear in court on the date and time 
specified in response to a Uniform Summons and Complaint, a summons, a condition of 
bail or order of court for any criminal violation of Title 23, section 1980; a civil violation 
under Title 28-A, section 2052; a civil violation under this Title; or any criminal 
provision of this Title or fails to pay a fine imposed for a criminal traffic offense, the 
clerk shall suspend the person's license or permit, the right to operate a motor vehicle in 
this State and the right to apply for or obtain a license or permit.  The court shall 
immediately notify that person of the suspension by regular mail or personal service.  
Written notice is sufficient if sent to the person's last known address.
If a person who is not an individual fails to appear or pay a fine in a civil violation under 
this Title or a criminal traffic offense, the clerk shall suspend the registration of the motor 
vehicle involved in the offense or that person's right to operate that vehicle in the State.
This subsection is repealed October 1, 2021.
Sec. 8.  29-A MRSA §2605, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 462, §9, is 
repealed.
Sec. 9.  29-A MRSA §2605-A, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 462, §10, is repealed.
SUMMARY
This bill does the following.
1.  It removes the provisions of law that provide for the suspension of a driver's 
license or permit for failure to pay a fine for an offense not related to driving and strikes 
the October 1, 2021 repeal provisions.
2.  It repeals the provision of law that provides for the issuance of a restricted driver's 
license for failure to pay a fine for offenses not related to driving.
3.  It repeals the provision, effective on October 1, 2021, that provides the statutory 
exemptions from attachment and execution for certain property do not apply to 
enforcement of fines owed to the State.