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Page 1 - 132LR2660(02)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
_____
S.P. 804 - L.D. 2126
An Act to Eliminate the Juvenile Crime of Willful Refusal to Pay a Fine or
Comply with the Terms of a Court Order
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 15 MRSA §3103, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2003, c. 305, §2, is further
amended to read:
C. Offenses involving intoxicating liquor, as provided in Title 28‑A, sections 2051 and
2052 and offenses involving refusal to provide proper identification as provided in Title
28‑A, section 2087; and
Sec. 2. 15 MRSA §3103, sub-§1, ¶G, as repealed and replaced by PL 2003, c. 688,
Pt. A, §12, is amended to read:
G. A violation of section 393, subsection 1, paragraph C or section 393, subsection
1‑A; and.
Sec. 3. 15 MRSA §3103, sub-§1, ¶H, as amended by PL 2025, c. 431, §7, is
repealed.
Sec. 4. 15 MRSA §3201, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2025, c. 431, §9, is further
amended to read:
1. Warrantless arrests. Arrests without warrants of juveniles for juvenile crimes
defined by section 3103, subsection 1, paragraphs A, and G and H by law enforcement
officers or private persons must be made pursuant to the provisions of Title 17‑A, sections
15 and 16. For purposes of this section, a juvenile crime defined under section 3103,
subsection 1, paragraph H is deemed a Class D or Class E crime. A law enforcement officer
or private person may not arrest a juvenile for a juvenile crime defined by section 3103,
subsection 1, paragraph B or C.
Sec. 5. 15 MRSA §3310, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2025, c. 431, §15, is further
amended to read:
4. Standard of proof. If the court finds that the elements of the juvenile crime as
defined in section 3103, subsection 1, paragraph A, or G or H are not supported by evidence
beyond a reasonable doubt or that the elements of a juvenile crime as defined in section
APPROVED
MARCH 9, 2026
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
551
PUBLIC LAW
Page 2 - 132LR2660(02)
3103, subsection 1, paragraph B or C are not supported by a preponderance of the evidence,
the court shall order the petition dismissed and the juvenile discharged from any detention
or restriction previously ordered. The juvenile's parents, guardian or other legal custodian
must also be discharged from any restriction or other temporary order.
Sec. 6. 15 MRSA §3310, sub-§5, ¶A, as amended by PL 2025, c. 431, §16, is
further amended to read:
A. If the court finds that the allegations of the petition alleging a juvenile crime as
defined in section 3103, subsection 1, paragraph A, or G or H are supported by
evidence beyond a reasonable doubt or that the allegations of a petition alleging a
juvenile crime as defined in section 3103, subsection 1, paragraph B or C are supported
by a preponderance of the evidence, the court shall adjudge that the juvenile committed
a juvenile crime and shall, in all such adjudications, issue an order of adjudication.
Sec. 7. 15 MRSA §3314, sub-§1, ¶G, as amended by PL 2025, c. 431, §17, is
further amended to read:
G. Except for a violation of the juvenile crimes defined in section 3103, subsection 1,
paragraph H, the The court may impose a fine, subject to Title 17‑A, sections 1701 to
1711, except that there is no mandatory minimum fine amount. For the purpose of this
section, juvenile crimes defined in section 3103, subsection 1, paragraphs B and C and
juvenile crimes under Title 12 or Title 29‑A are subject to a fine of up to $1,000.