Sec. Q-91. 29-A MRSA §2557, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1997, c. 476, §1, is further amended to read:

2. Offense; penalty. Violation of this section is:

A. A Class D crime if the person violates subsection 1 and:

(1) The person has no conviction for operating after revocation under this section or under former Title 29, section 2298 within the previous 10 years; and

(2) The person has no conviction for violating section 2411 or former Title 29, section 1312-B within the previous 10 years; and

B. A Class C crime if the person violates subsection 1 and:

(1) The person has one or more convictions for operating after revocation under this section or under former Title 29, section 2298 within the previous 10 years; or

(2) The person has one or more convictions for violating section 2411 or former Title 29, section 1312-B within the previous 10 years.

The Secretary of State may not grant relief from habitual offender status under section 2554 until at least 3 years after the original date scheduled for eligibility to apply for relief of that status.

Sec. Q-92. 29-A MRSA §2557, sub-§§2-A and 2-B are enacted to read:

2-A.__Strict liability.__Violation of this section is a strict liability crime as defined in Title 17-A, section 34, subsection 4-A.

2-B.__Relief from habitual offender status.__The Secretary of State may not grant relief from habitual offender status under section 2554 until at least 3 years have passed after the original date scheduled for eligibility to apply for relief of that status.