Bill
LD 1886
Expands Maine's distracted-driving penalties to include serious bodily injury, treating such cases as fatalities and raising penalties for drivers whose actions harm others.
Title: An Act Regarding Penalties For Violation Of The Law Governing Distracted Driving When The Violation Results In The Death Or Significant Injury Of Another Person
Also described/engrossed as: An Act to Include Serious Bodily Injury in the Law Governing Motor Vehicle Violations Resulting in Death
Status and timeline
- Introduced: May 1, 2025 (referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety)
- Committee action: Work session held May 15, 2025; Committee Amendment “A” (H‑497) adopted.
- Legislative action: Passed both chambers (House roll call reported Yeas 108, Nays 32, Absent 9, Excused 2).
- Signed by the Governor: June 12, 2025.
- Effective date: Not specified in the provided materials.
Purpose and intent
- To expand and clarify the reach of Maine’s distracted driving law by adjusting penalties when a violation causes either the death or a serious/significant bodily injury of another person. The bill aims to ensure that causing serious bodily injury through distracted driving is treated under the same enhanced statutory regime that applies when a motor vehicle violation results in death.
Key provisions and changes
- Adds or explicitly includes “serious bodily injury” (also described as “significant injury”) to the existing statutory framework that governs motor vehicle violations resulting in death, thereby subjecting violations of the distracted driving law that cause serious injury to the enhanced penalties or criminal consequences already associated with fatality-causing violations.
- Committee Amendment “A” (H‑497) was adopted and incorporated into the engrossed bill; that amendment produced the version described in the second fiscal note (LR 2079(03)).
Who is affected
- Drivers: Individuals who violate Maine’s distracted driving law (e.g., cell phone/texting prohibitions) and whose conduct results in death or serious bodily injury will face the expanded statutory penalties.
- Victims and families: Provides a statutory path for more severe penalties when distracted driving causes serious harm, potentially affecting criminal outcomes and sentencing.
- Judicial and correctional systems: May see a small number of additional cases or convictions under the expanded offense language.
- State finances: Fine revenue and other dedicated funds may increase slightly.
Fiscal and procedural impact
- Fiscal notes (approved 05/27/25 and 06/06/25) estimate:
- Minor increase in General Fund costs.
- Minor increases in General Fund revenue and other special revenue funds from additional fines.
- The expected number of new court cases is minimal and does not require additional funding for the judicial or correctional systems at this time.
Notes
- The enacted language elevates the statutory treatment of serious bodily injury to be consistent with violations that result in death, but specific penalty amounts, sentencing ranges, or statutory text changes were not included in the provided documents.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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