Anti-RV "No Overnight Parking" bill in Maine Legislature

[Leroy Eckert]

I am always quite amused at bureaucrats that do not own anything to have fun with, except a paid provider of services at taxpayers expense. The laundry list of shortcomings are certainly understood. What always gets me is the fine. $100. In this day of budgeting with computer metrix one would think the powers to be could figure out how to structure a law that would be profitable. Who cares in Maine or N. Georgia anyway. I could shoot a 30-30 down the road where I live anytime of the day and it would not hit anyone. Maybe a tree. Apparently the legislator that crafted the bill has to much time on his or her hands to take on real problems in this County and/or incompetence is showing. Vote them out. Send them to the Lobster Boat. On top of that I am confused. In most places a public place does not include private business. Is the definition different in Maine? Perhaps those sorry RV folks are robbing Lobster. Leroy Eckert 1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors Dahlonega, GA Royale Conversion --- On Thu, 5/7/09, jamesobriant wrote: From: jamesobriant Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Anti-RV "No Overnight Parking" bill in Maine Legislature To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, May 7, 2009, 4:26 PM I just sent the following information to my OvernightRVParking Yahoo Group, and asked that they post it on any other RV-related discussion groups. Here's the current status of the bill, and some people to contact about it: ============ ========= = The State of Maine is currently considering legislation which would make it illegal for RVs to park overnight in "any public parking structure" (i.e., business parking lots) anyplace in the state of Maine. If this bill (HP 98, LD 114) passes, it would be illegal for RVers to park for the night and sleep in their RVs at any business other than "a mobile home park or recreational vehicle park allowed by a municipality or a camping area licensed by the department." The penalty for violating this proposed law would be $100, which would be suspended upon first violation. It's the RVer who would be fined, not the business. Shortcomings in the law include: (1) No need for self-contained RV's to use or pay for many campground amenities when all that's needed is a night's sleep. (2) Language of the bill would make it illegal for RVers to park overnight at truck stops. (3) No provision for where RVers would stay from late fall through early spring, when nearly all Maine campgrounds are closed for the season. (4) No provision requiring campgrounds to be open to check RVers in at any time of day or night when they might arrive. (5) No provision requiring campgrounds to offer facilities to accommodate any kind of RV, including spaces to accommodate the largest rigs, or for campgrounds to provide and maintain access roads with sufficient weight-bearing capacity and adequate clearances. (6) No forethought as to what impact there will be on the Maine tourist economy if RVers elect to avoid visiting, passing through or spending money in Maine, as they did in Billings, MT, Laughlin, NV and Reno, NV when those cities attempted to enact or enforce similar bans on a local basis. (7) The general principle of forcing member of the public (RVers) to patronize businesses (campgrounds) that they may not want to patronize. (8) Some of the legislative material also mentions the issue of waste disposal, the usual "red herring" that campground owners throw out when pressuring for this kind of law. The law would punish all RVers for the transgressions of the very few who dump tanks where they shouldn't, an action that is already illegal, and only requires enforcement to prevent it. This bill is currently tabled in the Maine House of Representatives. I has yet to be passed by either the Maine House or the Maine Senate. I've been able to find no indication of the likelihood of its being passed, but when I telephoned the legislative offices to find out the bill's status, the clerk who took my call was unaware of the bill, then read it, and thought it was stupid. Here is a link to the text of the bill: http://www.maineleg islature. org/legis/ bills/bills_ 124th/billpdfs/ H P009802.pdf (Yahoo or your email program will probably spit that link, so you'll have to piece it back together in the address bar of your browser.) The sponsor of the bill is Rep. Anne C. Perry, Democrat from Calais, ME. Here is her contact information, as taken from the Maine Legislature Website: Address: 474 South Street, Calais, ME 04619 Home Telephone: (207) 454-7338 Cell Phone: (207) 214-7000 Home E-Mail: aperry@maineline. net State House E-Mail: RepAnne.Perry@ legislature. maine.gov Legislative Web Site: http://www.maine.gov/ legis/housedems/ aperry (Additional information, news, etc., from the House Majority Office) State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900 State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469 Representing: District 31 - Baileyville, Baring, Calais, Charlotte, Passamaquoddy Indian Township, Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point, Perry and Robbinston, plus part of the unorganized territory of North Washington Committee: Health and Human Services (Chair) Party Affiliation: Democrat Legal Residence: Calais Seat in House Chamber: 68 Occupation: Nurse Practitioner Family: 3 Children, 2 Grandchildren =========== The House Majority Leader in the Maine Legislature is John F. Piotti, a Democrat from Unity, ME. Here is his contact information, as taken from the Maine Legislature Website: Address: 1075 Albion Road, Unity, ME 04988 Home Telephone: (207) 437-2493 Business Telephone: (207) 287-1430 Home E-Mail: piotti@uninets. net State House E-Mail: RepJohn.Piotti@ legislature. maine.gov Legislative Web Site: http://www.maine.gov/ legis/housedems/ jpiotti (Additional information, news, etc., from the House Majority Office) State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900 State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469 Representing: District 45 - Burnham, Freedom, Knox, Montville, Palermo, Thorndike, Troy and Unity Committee: Rules and Business of the House Party Affiliation: Democrat Legal Residence: Unity Seat in House Chamber: 1 Occupation: Executive Director of State-Wide Non-Profit Family: Susan (Wife), 2 Children ============ ===== Here are two more contacts in Maine: Governor John Baldacci Communicate your comments to the Governor: http://www.maine. gov/governor/ baldacci/ contact/citizen_ services/ sh are_views.html (Yahoo or your email program will probably spit that link, so you'll have to piece it back together in the address bar of your browser.) Or go to: http://www.maine. gov/governor/ baldacci/ index.shtml Then scroll down to "Citizen Services" and click the [Share your views] link. Other contact information: Mailing Address Office of the Governor #1 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0001 Phone 207-287-3531 207-287-6548 (TTY) Fax 207-287-1034 ============ The President of the Main Chamber of Commerce is Mr. Dana Connors (that's MR. Connors, not MS.), and his email address is: dana.f.connors@ mainechamber. org Because Yahoo truncates email addresses, this may be useful: dana.f.connors (at) mainechamber (dot) org ============ = Jim O'Briant Gilroy, CA Administrator, http://www.OvernightRVPark ing.com