AUGUSTA - Rep. Ambureen Rana, D-Bangor, introduced legislation Thursday that would minimize fees imposed by the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles in cases of traffic infractions for those experiencing excessive financial hardship.
"Currently, if someone does not have the financial means to pay for a traffic ticket, those fees can accrue, resulting in their driver's license being suspended," said Rana. "In minimizing these fees, community members can more quickly have their licenses reinstated, meaning that they can better fulfill their daily responsibilities, like taking their children to school and going to work."
Under LD 556, a person may only be charged a single fee of $50 for all court-ordered suspensions, which would eliminate the stacking of fees that often happen once a payment is missed.
The Legislature's Transportation Committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.
Rana is serving her first term in the Maine House and represents House District 21, which is home to many of Bangor's service providers, tent cities, homeless shelters and warming shelters. She serves on the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Taxation and the Joint Select Committee on Housing.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Rana], 305-965-2744