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LD962 • 2025

An Act to Establish the Offense of Aggravated Operating Under the Influence Resulting in the Death of a Pet

An Act to Establish the Offense of Aggravated Operating Under the Influence Resulting in the Death of a Pet

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Representative Russell White
Last action
2025-04-15
Official status
Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to Establish the Offense of Aggravated Operating Under the Influence Resulting in the Death of a Pet

An Act to Establish the Offense of Aggravated Operating Under the Influence Resulting in the Death of a Pet Sponsor: Representative Russell White Reference committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Establish the Offense of Aggravated Operating Under the Influence Resulting in the Death of a Pet Sponsor: Representative Russell White Reference committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-15 Senate

    Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)

  2. 2025-04-14 Committee

    Reported Out; ONTP

  3. 2025-04-09 Committee

    Work Session Held

  4. 2025-04-09 Committee

    Voted; ONTP

  5. 2025-03-21 House

    Carried over, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519.

  6. 2025-03-06 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Establish the Offense of Aggravated Operating Under the Influence Resulting in the Death of a Pet
Sponsor:
Representative Russell White
Reference committee:
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Latest committee action:
Reported Out; ONTP

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 962
H.P. 621 House of Representatives, March 11, 2025
An Act to Establish the Offense of Aggravated Operating Under the
Influence Resulting in the Death of a Pet
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 6, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Criminal Justice and Public Safety pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative WHITE of Ellsworth.
Cosponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock and
Representatives: BISHOP of Bucksport, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, FRIEDMANN of Bar
Harbor, MCINTYRE of Lowell, SAYRE of Kennebunk, SMITH of Palermo, SWALLOW of
Houlton.

Page 1 - 132LR1300(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2401, sub-§12-A is enacted to read:
312-A. Pet. "Pet" has the same meaning as in Title 7, section 3907, subsection 22-B.
4Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §2411-A is enacted to read:
5§2411-A. Aggravated OUI resulting in death of pet
61. Aggravated OUI resulting in death of pet. A person commits aggravated OUI
7 resulting in the death of a pet if the person commits an offense under section 2411,
8 subsection 1-A, paragraph A and, as a result of the offense, the person kills a pet.
92. Penalties. Notwithstanding section 2411, subsection 5, a person who violates
10 subsection 1 commits a Class C crime for which the following penalties apply:
11 A. A fine of not less than $2,100 and not more than $7,000;
12 B. A period of incarceration of not less than 6 months and not more than 2 years;
13 C. A court-ordered suspension of a driver's license for a period of 3 years; and
14 D. Mandatory community service related to animal welfare as determined by the court.
153. Restitution. In addition to any other penalty, the court shall order the defendant to
16 provide restitution to the owner of the pet killed as a result of an offense under this section
17 for:
18 A. Veterinary costs incurred as a result of the incident;
19 B. The market value of the pet; and
20 C. Emotional distress suffered by the owner of the pet in an amount not to exceed
21 $3,000.
22SUMMARY
23 This bill creates the offense of aggravated operating under the influence resulting in
24 the death of a pet and provides that it is a Class C crime with a mandatory fine, a period of
25 incarceration, a court-ordered suspension of a driver's license and mandatory community
26 service related to animal welfare. The bill also requires the offender to provide restitution
27 to the owner of the pet, including veterinary costs, the market value of the pet and a sum
28 for emotional distress.
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