[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6099046,"mediaKeyId","2821778-559b4e1cb9908a3962a2983cf996c90d","parentId",2821778,"title","Committee hears testimony on LD 164 to exempt authorized emergency vehicles from tolls","audioSeconds",439,"startMs",1066000,"endMs",1505000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2821778-559b4e1cb9908a3962a2983cf996c90d&start=1066&end=1505","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2821778-559b4e1cb9908a3962a2983cf996c90d/thumbnail_1066000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6099046/Maine/Committee-hears-testimony-on-LD-164-to-exempt-authorized-emergency-vehicles-from-tolls","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099046-391c31b3075d234b81ddfb27e3093a8e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771119383&Signature=Ah7aIe2B1CvzRigt37Pj8q2GR7WOkNUSgaEsiyj759Tmcs4oVY5RBzwSrA0dGFkygikvjatPJMM2nee3eqP77xO01yb132qQx4h6YpwPioBUqfv5CN0JOXtd~2OmP~YliRf2DPrClZ8RAiEAojqWbA-VWZdwJolHLhNYKtyGVj8XwmyS8sv0cz8fddOMbT9cAyCUBJ0-5lxxbVbRg3GSPlg~keUzfmPeLtZfFioA2rQikl0SbwqaPxYn33oGli-V-1smtavov1jBr6JZbnJEFUx~71HAjKTrZz-3~zLEnzdPx-dTOjz3gOJHadyAWcM5Gxx6BxOyrcwUCxjY1X0pEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maine State Legislature","date","2025-03-28T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Matthew McIntyre presented LD 164 to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation on March 28, 2025, asking the committee to consider an exemption from turnpike tolls for authorized emergency vehicles when operating in an official capacity.

\"This proposal, while seemingly very minor in the grand scheme, represents one small step in the right direction,\" McIntyre said, citing conversations with fire and EMS providers in his district and pointing to Maine Revised Statutes, Title 23, Part 1, subsection 1973(3) and (5) as background on toll authority and existing exemptions for military use.

Multiple witnesses spoke in favor. Dale Rowley, director of the Waldo County Emergency Management Agency, told the committee he believes emergency response vehicles should be exempt from paying turnpike tolls during responses and urged the committee to add county emergency-management entities to the list of authorized emergency vehicles under Title 29-A section 2054(1)(b). Rowley said county-response costs for tolls come from county budgets and are not reimbursed by the Maine Turnpike Authority.

Bill Ferdinand, an attorney with Eaton Peabody representing the Maine Ambulance Association, said ambulances perform many non‑E911 transports, including interfacility transfers, and that tolls can be a meaningful expense for individual ambulance services. \"It is significant to the individual ambulance services,\" Ferdinand said, and indicated the association would upload written testimony.

Representative Blake asked whether non-emergency patient transports or hospital contractions would broaden the exemption; members discussed the scope of ambulance operations and transport activity across the state. McIntyre said he has held discussions with the Maine Turnpike Authority and is willing to work with stakeholders and accept reasonable amendments to the bill.

No formal committee vote or work-session action on LD 164 was recorded during the public hearing. The sponsor indicated openness to amendments and future work sessions.

The committee asked questions about reimbursement and which agencies or vehicles would be covered; witnesses suggested statutory language changes to explicitly include county emergency management mobile command posts. Erin Courtney, Director of Communications and Government & Public Relations for the Maine Turnpike, appeared during the hearing and was identified as representing the Turnpike Authority; her remarks were not included in the transcript excerpt provided.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Transportation - Mar 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Matthew McIntyre asked the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation on March 28, 2025, to consider LD 164, which would exempt authorized emergency vehicles from turnpike tolls when operating in an official capacity.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature ME , Maine","taxId",77690,"location","Maine","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099051,"Sponsor asks committee to withdraw LD 285; committee votes ought not to pass",150,607000,757000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2821778-559b4e1cb9908a3962a2983cf996c90d&start=607&end=757","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2821778-559b4e1cb9908a3962a2983cf996c90d/thumbnail_607000.jpg","/articles/6099051/Maine/Sponsor-asks-committee-to-withdraw-LD-285-committee-votes-ought-not-to-pass","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099051-275fd98ca093bf1a04f79c4ce099047e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771119383&Signature=dVwCTEdFGWk4rdMRFLJf0Key--nNmwMG61d2GEaBMYH4h8GJ0DTapPHScWAXMZS91kEFV0WsMIL9cV-FxAoW1l0v10A4TAD26gP3hRSWybclAHIdLKDNmzL7M9vyVlFqlPy3PqkAQppAlQr0yJiY~DB6waC3v~XEfATj6BmxjkPYe4AFHq2VJ8RMprzezV15U2uaZvFWZy946bVebSVoZPLxO5i0FHAaUJX8QgTG3mqeEhvLzhQckjQXJqurC~e~YvfnyYqmAy-57JpL38RhoW3B5kaxz8hYDWtcQSmweADtPjkA5LFaP4~3KXdKM9yHqpEII-INNKHOYLCSvA-1dA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The sponsor of LD 285 told the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation on March 28, 2025, that the bill is no longer necessary and asked the committee to report it ought not to pass.

The sponsor said the determination came after discussions with Maine Department of Transportation staff and with the constituent who prompted the legislation and asked the committee to vote ought not to pass on LD 285. \"We have determined that this bill is no longer necessary. I request that you vote ought not to pass on LD 2 85,\" the sponsor said.

Senator Tim Naegle, who presided as Senate chair, then opened the record to public testimony; no members of the public testified for or against the bill. Representative Wayne Perry moved that the committee go into work session on LD 285; the motion was seconded and carried. In the subsequent work session, Representative Wayne Perry moved that the committee report LD 285 ought not to pass. The motion was seconded and the committee’s vote was recorded as unanimous among members present.

No amendments or further testimony were recorded on the bill during the hearing. With the unanimous vote in work session, the committee completed its action on LD 285 at the March 28 hearing.

The committee did not record the names of individual members who voted in the transcript excerpt; the minutes show the outcome as unanimous among those present.","Sponsor told the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation that LD 285 is no longer necessary after discussions with MaineDOT and a constituent; the committee moved the bill into work session and voted unanimously that the bill ought not to pass.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears testimony on LD 164 to exempt authorized emergency vehicles from tolls

Sponsor asks committee to withdraw LD 285; committee votes ought not to pass