An Act To Enhance Local Control of Noise Ordinances
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §1912, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2009, c. 639, §1, is further amended to read:
1. Muffler required. A person may not operate a motor vehicle unless that vehicle is equipped with an adequate muffler properly maintained to prevent excessive or unusual noise. For purposes of this subsection, "excessive or unusual noise" includes motor noise emitted by a motor vehicle that is noticeably louder than similar vehicles in the environment.
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §1912, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2009, c. 639, §2, is further amended to read:
3. Amplification prohibited. A person may not operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system that has been modified when the result of that modification is the amplification to amplify or increase of the noise emitted by the motor above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle.
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §3015 is enacted to read:
§ 3015. Noise ordinance
A municipality may adopt an ordinance to regulate noise.
summary
This bill gives municipalities the authority to adopt ordinances to regulate noise, and amends the laws governing motor vehicle noise to restore the laws that existed prior to Public Law 2009, chapter 639.