An Act To Amend Certain Motor Vehicle Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1899
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: FARRIN, BRYANT, CYRWAY, DIAMOND, LAWRENCE, LIBBY, MIRAMANT, GRAMLICH, JORGENSEN, STANLEY
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-G, 29-A MRSA §101, 29-A MRSA §556, 29-A MRSA §562, 29-A MRSA §1401, 29-A MRSA §2458

Legislative Document
No. 1899
S.P. 651
In Senate, December 24, 2019
An Act To Amend Certain Motor Vehicle Laws
Submitted by the Secretary of State pursuant to Joint Rule 203.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 20, 2019.  Referred to the Committee 
on Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator FARRIN of Somerset.
Cosponsored by Representative BRYANT of Windham and
Senators: CYRWAY of Kennebec, DIAMOND of Cumberland, LAWRENCE of York, 
LIBBY of Androscoggin, MIRAMANT of Knox, Representatives: GRAMLICH of Old 
Orchard Beach, JORGENSEN of Portland, STANLEY of Medway.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§33-C, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 376, §1, is 
repealed.
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §101, sub-§27-B, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 335, §1, is 
amended to read:
C.  Has a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 70,000 pounds or more;
Sec. 3.  29-A MRSA §556, first ¶, as amended by PL 2013, c. 530, §2, is further 
amended to read:
A motor vehicle is exempt from this subchapter, except sections 555, 555-A, 558-A, 
and 560 and 562, as follows:
Sec. 4.  29-A MRSA §562, as amended by PL 2017, c. 327, §§16 and 17, is 
repealed.
Sec. 5.  29-A MRSA §1401, sub-§9, as amended by PL 2017, c. 27, §3 and 
affected by §10, is further amended to read:
9.  Use of biometric technology.  The Secretary of State may use biometric 
technology, including, but not limited to, retinal scanning, facial recognition or 
fingerprint technology, to produce a license or nondriver identification card and to 
provide information, including digital images, to law enforcement agencies consistent 
with the rules adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 256.  The Secretary of 
State may not allow an outside entity to use biometric technology to search its image 
records.
Sec. 6.  29-A MRSA §2458, sub-§2, ¶V, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 327, §21, is 
amended to read:
V.  Has exceeded the motor carrier adverse safety limits established by the Secretary 
of State using the methodology developed pursuant to section 562, subsection 3 by 
the bureau.
Sec. 7.  29-A MRSA §2458, sub-§6, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 111, §2, is 
repealed.
Sec. 8.  29-A MRSA §2458, sub-§6, ¶E, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 111, §2, is 
amended to read:
E.  Any entity that would have been suspended as a related entity but for the failure 
or refusal of the suspended person or named entity or its officers, directors or partners 
to disclose the required information is nevertheless suspended and subject to the same 
penalties and sanctions as the suspended person or the named entity for violation of 
the suspension.  If an entity becomes a related entity or is created after the Secretary 
of State has made the decision to suspend or after the Motor Carrier Review Board 
makes its recommendation to suspend, the Secretary of State may immediately 
suspend the related entity.
SUMMARY
This bill makes the following changes to the motor vehicle laws.
1.  It clarifies the law with respect to weight requirements for heavy duty recovery 
vehicles.
2.  It allows the Secretary of State to assist law enforcement entities by providing 
driver's license biometric technology records.  The bill prohibits the Secretary of State 
from allowing an outside entity to use biometric technology to search driver's license 
records.
3.  It repeals the law establishing the Motor Carrier Review Board in order to remove 
conflicts with the motor carrier review process conducted by the Department of the 
Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles.