You may read the testimony that was presented, including ours, at this page
(166)
<http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?PID=1456&snum=129&paper=&paperld=l&ld=166#>
and this page (344)
<http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?PID=1456&snum=129&paper=&paperld=l&ld=344#>.
They are viewable under the Public Hearing section when you click "Status
in Committee" at the left side.
It's interesting to read the different perspectives. The Maine Association
of Criminal Defense Lawyers are against it because they find mandatory
minimum sentences and license suspension lead to unforeseen consequences
for people and families with very little money, and in areas not served by
public transportation. They also question the effectiveness of mandatory
minimum fines as a deterrent. Similarly, the Maine ACLU is opposed based on
due process concerns and the disproportionate effect of higher fines on
poor people as compared to more well off people. They claim judges already
have discretion to impose fines of up to $1000 without these new bills,
which I didn't know. That is based on statute Title 17-A Section 1301
(1-A)(E) <http://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec1301.html>.
Some interesting stats are also presented in some of the testimony. One
national report gives an average of how many drivers pass a stopped school
bus every day, by state, with Maine reported as 88. That's every day! A
state survey of 332 bus drivers found 72 illegal passes, which they
extrapolated to 13,000 illegal passes every year!!
Things often become more complicated the more you learn about them!
On Mon, Feb 11, 2019 at 10:15 PM John Brooking <johnbrooking4@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Emails sent. :-)
On Sun, Feb 10, 2019 at 5:55 PM Lee Prince <leeleeprince51@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Looks good to me!
On Sun, Feb 10, 2019 at 5:45 PM Dennis Marrotte <
dennis.marrotte1111@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
John, I have no problem or concerns with your reference to WSMAC. Your
composition and structure of the support for the new Legislation is direct
and to the point. Perhaps, noting that Westbrook was the First of 21
Communities in our State to host a Public Forum on Pedestrian and Bicyclist
Safety will be a Plus for our organization.
Dennis Marrotte
On Feb 10, 2019 5:37 PM, "John Brooking" <johnbrooking4@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
WSMAC,
Below is a letter I have written in support of one of the proposed
bills to increase the penalties for passing a stopped school bus, LD166.
Note the second sentence in which I mention my involvement in WSMAC. While
I'm not quite saying the letter is from WSMAC as a whole (I'm mot sure
whether that's recommended or not for testimony), I am intentionally
implying that I am involved with other people who would feel similarly.*
Is this okay with you?* Please let me know if you have any objection to
WSMAC's name being invoked in this way. Thanks.
Since there are two similar bills, I thought I would send a separate
letter in support of both, which would actually be identical except
swapping numbers, and rewriting the second paragraph as necessary.
Good afternoon, Senator Diamond and members of the Transportation
Committee,
I am submitting my testimony in support of LD 166, "An Act To Protect
Schoolchildren by Increasing the Penalty for Unlawful Passing of a School
Bus". I co-chair a volunteer street safety committee in Westbrook, the
Westbrook Safe Mobility & Access Committee. In our discussion with other
Westbrook residents, in person and online, complaints of drivers passing a
stopped school bus comes up frequently. Last October in Windsor, a
15-year-old who was about to board a stopped school bus was struck by a
driver, and sent to the hospital with bumps and bruises. I am thankful that
no one in Maine has been killed in this situation, that I am aware of. It's
hard to believe that anyone would endanger children and teenagers in this
way, and I believe it is entirely appropriate that those who do should be
subject to the increased penalties this bill proposes, if not as a
deterrent for a first offense, then at least as deterrent for a second, or
in the event of a crash, a deserved punishment and extended period of not
posing a danger to children.
I also note the similarity of this bill to LD 344, "An Act To Increase
the Penalties for Illegally Passing a School Bus". While I favor that bill
even more due to its stronger penalties, I see either one of these as a
welcome improvement over the current weaker penalties.
Thank you.
