An Act To Provide Placards to Drivers Who for Medical Reasons Are Not Required To Wear Seat Belts
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2081, sub-§4, ¶A-1, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 432, §3 and affected by §4, is amended to read:
A-1. The requirements of subsection 3-A do not apply to a driver or passenger who has a medical condition that, in the opinion of a physician, warrants an exemption from the requirements of subsection 3-A and that medical condition and opinion are documented by a certificate from that physician. That certificate is valid for 5 years. The Secretary of State may issue a removable windshield placard that is visible to law enforcement officers to a person with a certificate from a physician. A removable windshield placard is a 2-sided permit designed to hang from the rearview mirror when the vehicle is in motion without obstructing the view of the operator. The placard must be displayed by hanging it from the rearview mirror so that it may be viewed from the front and rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is in motion. If the vehicle is not equipped with a rearview mirror, the placard must be displayed on the dashboard. The placard must be identifiable as a seat belt placard as designed by the Secretary of State. A placard issued to a person under this paragraph expires when the physician's certificate expires.
summary
This bill allows a driver who for medical reasons cannot wear a seat belt to receive a placard indicating the driver is not required to wear a seat belt.