An Act Regarding Transportation of Methadone Patients

Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §20054  is enacted to read:

§ 20054.  Prohibition on operating a motor vehicle

A person who is receiving methadone for the treatment of opioid dependency or for use as a pain medication is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle until the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles has received a medical report stating that the person is no longer receiving methadone treatment.

Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §1711-C, sub-§6, ¶E-3  is enacted to read:

Sec. 3. Secretary of State; rulemaking. The Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles shall amend its Chapter 3 rules, "Physical, Emotional and Mental Competence to Operate a Motor Vehicle," to require the reporting of methadone treatment for opioid dependency or methadone use as a pain medication. The rules must prohibit an individual who is receiving methadone from operating a motor vehicle and require a health care practitioner or facility to report methadone treatment to the Secretary of State's office and report when an individual is no longer receiving methadone treatment. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

SUMMARY

This bill prohibits the operating of a motor vehicle by a person who is receiving methadone for treatment of opioid dependency or for use as a pain medication. The Secretary of State shall amend its Chapter 3 rules, "Physical, Emotional and Mental Competence to Operate a Motor Vehicle," to require a health care practitioner or facility that is treating an individual with methadone to report to the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles. These rules are routine technical rules.