| | Emergency preamble. Whereas, Acts of the Legislature do not become | effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as | emergencies; and |
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| | Whereas, the inappropriate use of laser pointers by directing | them at people is increasing and poses a danger to health and | safety; and |
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| | Whereas, the dangers include potential eye damage and fear that | a person is being targeted by a weapon; and |
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| | Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create | an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and | require the following legislation as immediately necessary for | the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, | therefore, |
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| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §1002-A is enacted to read: |
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| §1002-A.__Criminal use of laser device |
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| | 1.__A person is guilty of criminal use of a laser device if | the person intentionally points the device at another person | while it is emitting a laser beam. |
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| | 2.__Criminal use of a laser device is a Class D crime. |
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| | 3.__This section does not apply to the use of a laser device: |
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| A.__For a purpose set forth in chapter 5; or |
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| B.__By a person otherwise licensed or authorized to use a | laser device by law. |
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| | For the purposes of this section, "laser" means light | amplification by simulated emission of radiation. |
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| | Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, | this Act takes effect when approved. |
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| | This bill makes it a Class D crime for a person not authorized | by law to intentionally point a laser device at another person. | This prohibition of the use of laser devices is similar to | provisions in current law pertaining to the use of |
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