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An Act To Improve Enforcement of Snowmobile Noise Levels
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §13106-A, sub-§14, as amended by PL 2009, c. 340, §20, is further amended to read:
 
14. Snowmobile noise level limits.   This subsection governs noise levels for snowmobiles.
 
A. Except as provided in section 13112, a person may not:
 
(1) Operate a snowmobile that exceeds the noise limits for that snowmobile established in paragraph B; or
 
(2) Operate a snowmobile with an exhaust system that has been modified in a manner that amplifies or otherwise increases total noise emission above that of the snowmobile as originally constructed, regardless of the date of manufacture.
 
B.  The following noise levels are established:
 
(1) Every snowmobile manufactured after February 1, 1975 and offered for sale or sold in this State must be constructed to limit total vehicle noise to not more than 78 decibels of sound pressure level at 50 feet on the "A" scale, as measured by the SAE standards J-192;
 
(2) Snowmobiles manufactured after October 1, 1973, but on or before February 1, 1975, and offered for sale or sold in this State must be constructed to limit the total vehicle noise to not more than 82 decibels of sound pressure level at 50 feet on the "A" scale, as measured by the SAE standards J-192; and
 
(3) Snowmobiles manufactured on or before October 1, 1973 are not subject to a specific noise level, except that they may not be modified in violation of this subsection.
 
C. The following penalties apply to violations of this subsection.
 
(1) A person who violates this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500 may be adjudged.
 
(2) A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.
 
SUMMARY
This bill removes provisions regarding snowmobile noise levels to reflect current snowmobile manufacturing standards.