| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2073, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 | and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: |
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| §2073. State authority to regulate speeds |
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| | 1. Authority to regulate. Except as provided in section | 2075, subsection 2 and notwithstanding section 2074, subsection | 1, the Commissioner of Transportation, with the approval of the | Chief of the State Police, may on those portions of a public way | not located in a municipality: |
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| A. Restrict the maximum rate of speed on a public way where | a speed limit will minimize the danger of accident, promote | the free flow of traffic, conserve motor fuel or respond to | changes in federal laws; |
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| B. Increase the maximum rate of speed on a public way where | higher speeds are warranted to promote the normal and | reasonable movement of traffic; or |
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| C. Make an adjustment of maximum rates of speed. An | adjustment under this paragraph is exempt from the | provisions of the Maine Administrative Procedure Act. |
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| The commissioner may set minimum and maximum speeds for | those sections of the interstate system located in a | municipality. The commissioner may not set maximums that | exceed 60 miles per hour or, on the interstate system or | other divided controlled-access highways, 65 miles per hour. |
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| The commissioner may not set maximums for the Maine | Turnpike. |
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| | 2. Municipal request. If a municipal request to the | Department of Transportation to change a speed limit is denied, | the municipality may request the department to hold a public | hearing within the municipality to provide the department with | the views of the public on the requested speed limit change. The | department shall: |
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| A. Hold the hearing within 30 days of the request; and |
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| B. Inform the municipality of a final decision on the | requested speed limit change within 30 days after the | hearing. |
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| | 3. Prohibition. A person may not operate a vehicle in excess | of maximum speeds fixed pursuant to this section, as long |
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