Drugged Drivers

Rep. Cleary submits bill to help protect the public from intoxicated drivers


AUGUSTA – Rep. Richard Cleary has put forward legislation to help protect the public from intoxicated drivers.

Under current law, only results from hospital tests on blood alcohol levels are admissible evidence in court. Cleary’s legislation would also include tests for other intoxicating substances as admissible evidence.

Cleary is concerned that current law doesn’t do enough to protect Maine citizens from drivers
under the influence of substances besides alcohol.

The proposed legislation would close this loophole in Maine law and ensure that all individuals
who drive impaired, regardless of substance, are treated in the same manner by the courts.
“Right now the law only allows the prosecution to make use of blood alcohol concentration levels
and nothing else, thereby ignoring dozens of other intoxicating substances from evidence - and
providing more procedural protections to drugged drivers than drunken drivers,” said Cleary. “We need to protect our families and neighbors from those choosing to drive under the influence and give prosecutors the support they need to make convictions in these cases.”

This week Cleary’s bill was referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety for
further consideration. The Committee is expected to hold a public hearing on the bill in the coming weeks.