Opinion ID: 4149760
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Maine Tort Claims Act Immunity

Text: [¶12] The Maine Tort Claims Act (MTCA) provides, “[e]xcept as otherwise expressly provided by statute, all governmental entities shall be immune from suit on any and all tort claims seeking recovery of damages.” 14 M.R.S. § 8103 (2016). In enacting Section 8103, the Legislature unambiguously granted the State immunity from tort suits, unless expressly waived by statute. See New Orleans Tanker Corp. v. Dep’t of Transp., 1999 ME 67, ¶ 5, 728 A.2d 673 (“[I]mmunity is the rule and exceptions to immunity are to be strictly construed.”); Drake v. Smith, 390 A.2d 541, 543 (Me. 1978) (“In the absence of specific authority conferred by an enactment of the Legislature, therefore, the sovereign’s immunity from suit cannot be waived . . . .”). [¶13] The MTCA expressly waives immunity for particular tort actions, including negligent operation of vehicles, negligent building and road construction and maintenance, and negligent discharge of pollutants. See 14 M.R.S. § 8104-A (2016). The Act also waives immunity “to the limits of the insurance coverage” when the State purchases liability insurance. 14 M.R.S. § 8116 (2016). [¶14] We have declared that “a waiver of governmental immunity is not to be implied.” Young v. Greater Portland Transit Dist., 535 A.2d 417, 419 7 (Me. 1987); see also Knowlton v. Attorney Gen., 2009 ME 79, ¶ 12, 976 A.2d 973 (“Waivers are not generally implied, and even explicit waivers are construed narrowly.”).5 Where a statute generally authorizes suits against parties that could include government entities, this authorization, without more, is insufficient to constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity; the statute must further expressly waive immunity. See Hinkley v. Penobscot Valley Hosp., 2002 ME 70, ¶¶ 6, 9-10, 15, 794 A.2d 643; Young, 535 A.2d at 418 (holding that a statute providing that a government entity may “sue or be sued” was insufficient to constitute an express waiver); see also Nelson v. Me. Tpk. Auth., 157 Me. 174, 179, 170 A.2d 687, 690 (1961).