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PUBLIC LAWS OF MAINE
First Regular Session of the 121st

CHAPTER 340
H.P. 1113 - L.D. 1520

An Act To Amend the Motor Vehicle Laws

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

     Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §555, sub-§2-B, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 507, §1, is amended to read:

     2-B. Participation in federal pilot program; temporary exemptions from hours-of-service regulations. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall bureau may grant temporary exemptions from the weekly restrictions in the intrastate hours-of-service regulations for the transportation of home heating oil during the winter months for the purpose of enabling intrastate motor carriers conducting such operations to do so under terms and conditions identical to those used in the Pilot Program for Drivers Delivering Home Heating Oil published in the Federal Register Vol. 66, No. 135. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A 2-A.

     Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §1769, sub-§2, as repealed and replaced by PL 1999, c. 183, §4, is amended to read:

     2. Review of rules by Legislature. Rules adopted under this section are major substantive routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A 2-A.

     Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §1909-A is enacted to read:

§1909-A. Fog lights

     1. Fog lights. A motor vehicle may be equipped with 2 fog lights upon the front of the motor vehicle that emit amber or white light as long as the rays from the lights do not shine more than 2 feet above the road at a distance of 30 feet. A fog light mounted higher than the center of the main headlights may not be illuminated while a motor vehicle is being operated on a public way.

     Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §1925 is enacted to read:

§1925. Nitrous oxide system

     1. Definition. For the purposes of this section, "nitrous oxide system" means a device installed in a motor vehicle that allows nitrous oxide to combine with gasoline for the purpose of increasing engine power.

     2. Use prohibited. Except as provided in subsection 3, a person may not operate a motor vehicle that is equipped with a nitrous oxide system on a public way.

     3. Exceptions. A person may operate a motor vehicle equipped with a nitrous oxide system on a public way if:

     Sec. 5. 29-A MRSA §1954 is enacted to read:

§1954. Dump body support

     1. Equipment. A truck with a dump body must be equipped with a positive means of support, permanently attached and capable of being locked in position to prevent lowering of the body while being maintained, inspected or repaired or while the truck is unattended.

     2. Required. A truck dump body must be either fully lowered, locked by means of equipment required in subsection 1 or physically blocked from lowering while being maintained, inspected or repaired or while the truck is unattended.

     3. Penalty. A person who violates this section commits a Class E crime.

     Sec. 6. 29-A MRSA §2052, sub-§8 is enacted to read:

     8. Breakdown lanes. The operator of a vehicle may not overtake another vehicle on a limited-access way by driving on the shoulder or in the breakdown lane located on the right or the left of the travel lanes.

     Sec. 7. 29-A MRSA §2054, sub-§2, ¶E, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is repealed.

     Sec. 8. 29-A MRSA §2067, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1997, c. 653, §9, is further amended to read:

     2. Dimming. When a vehicle equipped with multiple-beam road lights approaches an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet or follows a vehicle within 300 feet, the operator shall dim the headlights or switch to a low beam and shall turn off a fog or auxiliary light allowed by section 2054, subsection 2, paragraph E 1909-A, unless the fog light or auxiliary light was installed by the vehicle manufacturer at the time the vehicle was originally manufactured.

     Sec. 9. 29-A MRSA §2251, sub-§3, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

     Sec. 10. 29-A MRSA §2251, sub-§4, ¶B, as amended by PL 1997, c. 178, §3, is further amended to read:

     Sec. 11. 29-A MRSA §2358, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

     5. Seals. When examination requires the breaking of a seal previously placed on a vehicle, a new seal must be placed on it.

The officer shall make a complete record and forward it to the Chief of the State Police.
A seal on a truck having an exposed refrigeration unit may not be broken.

Effective September 13, 2003, unless otherwise indicated.

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