Maine House Bill LD159

Maine 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/14/25
• Refer: 1/14/25
• Engrossed: 5/20/25
• Enrolled: 5/21/25
• Passed: 5/27/25

Caption

An Act to Require Motor Vehicle Certificates of Registration to Include a Space to List an Emergency Contact

Summary

LD 159 amends Maine’s motor vehicle registration law to require the reverse side of a certificate of registration to include a blank space where the registered owner may write the legal name and address of an emergency contact. The bill does not require owners to provide this information to the state; it simply adds a place on the paper registration certificate for voluntary emergency contact information. The measure is designed to make emergency contact information more readily available in connection with a vehicle registration document, which could be useful in situations involving crashes, medical emergencies, or other incidents where identifying or notifying a contact person may be helpful. The bill also directs the Secretary of State’s Department to begin issuing the revised certificates when its existing stock is replaced, so implementation is tied to normal inventory turnover rather than an immediate statewide reprinting.

Impact

The bill amends 29-A MRSA §401, subsection 3, paragraph B, by changing the required contents of a motor vehicle certificate of registration to include a blank emergency-contact space on the reverse side. It affects the Secretary of State’s administration of vehicle registration forms and the design of registration certificates, but it does not create a new reporting mandate or alter registration eligibility requirements. The practical impact is limited to the form used by registered vehicle owners and the department’s printing and issuance process.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no documented debate or opposition in the provided materials. The bill’s enactment as a public law suggests it moved through the process without notable recorded controversy. Based on the text alone, the measure appears straightforward and administrative in nature, with a likely generally favorable reception because it is low-cost and optional for registrants.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential issues that could have been raised, though not recorded here, would likely involve whether the emergency-contact space is useful enough to justify changing the registration form, whether it creates any privacy concerns, and whether the state should include such information on a vehicle document at all. However, the bill text and available history do not show any active dispute over these questions.