In keeping with a resolve approved by lawmakers last year, a bill has been introduced in Augusta that would allow rental cars to be inspected once every two years instead of annually.
This past spring, the Transportation Committee unanimously supported a resolve directing the Secretary of State’s Office and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), with input from the State Police Bureau, to “consider and develop recommendations” for implementing a “multiyear registration and inspection program” for national car rental companies operating in Maine.
LD 2191, introduced Tuesday, proposes allowing car rental companies with over 1,000 noncommercial registered in the state to receive a two-year certificate of inspection.
Like any other piece of legislation, this bill will be referred to the appropriate committee where it will be subject to a public hearing before being discussed by lawmakers during a work session. When ready, committee members will vote on their official recommendation to the Legislature.
Click Here for More Information on LD 2191
This is not the first time that Maine’s vehicle safety inspection program has onto the radar screen of lawmakers, as there have been several attempts in recent years to modify, and in some cases repeal, it.
Earlier this year, New Hampshire ended its annual vehicle inspection practice, making Maine one of just thirteen states to have such a mandate on the books.
Reportedly integral to New Hampshire’s shift away from inspections was the $50 price tag associated with obtaining a sticker, a cost that is roughly double that which Mainers are required to pay on an annual basis.
Last summer, lawmakers unanimously shot down a bill that would have made inspections biennial for all car owners.
Supporters of these annual inspections argue that they help to keep poorly maintained and unsafe vehicles off the road, while some critics have said that the system opens the door for unscrupulous mechanics to charge drivers for unnecessary repairs.
In January of this, the Legislature unanimously rejected yet another effort to reform the vehicle inspection program.
This proposal would have allowed the State Police to establish an electronic surveillance system to track vehicle inspections.
For the purposes of this bill, an “electronic inspection program” was defined as a program designated by the Chief of the State Police “that uses electronically generated data as part of an inspection and permits the creation and exchange of an electronic record for maintaining inspection information.”
This proposal also would have raised the cap on vehicle inspection costs to $20, just under double the current cap of $12.50.
[RELATED: Proposed Electronic Vehicle Inspection Program Rejected by Augusta Lawmakers]
No public hearings or work sessions have been scheduled yet for LD 2191, but lawmakers can be expected to put them on the calendar in the near future.
