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An Act To Reduce Conflicts of Interest in the Motor Vehicle Inspection Program
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §1751, sub-§3-A, ¶¶A to C, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 234, §2, are amended to read:
 
A. For inspections performed under subsection 2, the fee may not be more than $12.50$20;
 
B. For inspections of pre-1996 model vehicles performed under subsection 2-A, the fee may not be more than $15.50$23; and
 
C. For inspections of 1996 and subsequent model vehicles performed under subsection 2-A, the fee may not be more than $18.50$26.
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §1769, sub-§3  is enacted to read:
 
3.  Cost-benefit analysis of rules.     The Chief of the State Police, prior to the adoption of any rule governing the motor vehicle inspection program, shall conduct an analysis, as described in Title 5, section 8063-A, of the benefits and costs of the proposed rule to evaluate the effects of the rule, including but not limited to additional costs to motorists and public safety improvements, on the distribution of benefits and costs for specific groups and on the overall economic welfare of the State. The Chief of the State Police may not adopt a proposed rule if upon completion of the cost-benefit analysis the Chief of the State Police determines that the cost of the proposed rule is greater than the benefit of the proposed rule.
Sec. 3. Chief of State Police to amend rules governing inspection station licensee. The Chief of the State Police, as authorized by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 1769, shall amend Department of Public Safety, Bureau of State Police rules governing the responsibilities of an inspection station licensee to prohibit an inspection station licensee from paying commissions to an inspection technician for additional sales resulting from a motor vehicle inspection. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
 
SUMMARY
This bill increases the maximum amount charged for vehicle inspections by $7.50. The bill also directs the Chief of the State Police to amend rules governing the responsibilities of an inspection station licensee to prohibit an inspection station licensee from paying commissions to an inspection technician for additional sales resulting from a motor vehicle inspection.
The bill also requires the Chief of the State Police, prior to the adoption of a rule governing the motor vehicle inspection program, to weigh the additional costs to motorists against any public safety improvements from new inspection requirements and to not enact new rules unless the safety benefits outweigh the costs.