MaineMaine law penalizes emergency medical services work without required licenses
Maine's law provides civil fines for unlicensed emergency medical services work, criminal penalties for intentional, knowing, or reckless violations, and court orders stopping that conduct.
What it does
Unlicensed emergency medical services work or claims of authorization carry $1,000–$5,000 civil fines per violation. Intentional, knowing, or reckless violations also count as crimes.
Maine's Attorney General may seek court orders to stop unlicensed conduct and recover money or property. Breaking an order carries a fine of up to $10,000 per violation.
Maine Emergency Medical Services must bring together an advisory committee to review injury care and data sharing. The director must report its findings to lawmakers by September 1, 2027.
Argument forCourt orders could stop unlicensed emergency medical services work and help people recover money or property lost because of it.
Argument againstPeople who keep working after their required license expires could face substantial fines even if they did not intentionally break the rules.
More detail
People who perform work requiring an emergency medical services license or claim authorization without that license face civil fines and, in specified cases, criminal penalties. Covered activities include ambulance services, dispatching, and training. An educator means a lead instructor in a program for obtaining an emergency medical services license. The penalties cover missing, expired, suspended, or revoked required licenses. Criminal violations require intentional, knowing, or reckless conduct and are classified as Class E crimes. The civil rule does not require intentional, knowing, or reckless conduct. The licensing requirement has exceptions in subsection 2, which is not reproduced.
Maine's Attorney General may ask the Superior Court to stop unlicensed conduct and order money or property returned. These powers apply to violations of the civil rule against unlicensed emergency medical services conduct. The Attorney General may act whether or not separate civil or criminal proceedings occur. Recovery covers identifiable losses caused by the violation and payments received for unlawful conduct. After a permanent court order, the court may require payment of investigation and lawsuit costs, including attorney fees.
The Maine Emergency Medical Services director or a designee must convene the State Trauma Prevention and Control Advisory Committee. The committee must review opportunities to improve care for traumatic injuries and share consistent, quality data about injury incidents. The legislative committee responsible for emergency medical services may propose legislation based on the report for the Second Regular Session of the 133rd Legislature. The report goes to the legislative committee responsible for emergency medical services.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Signed by Governor Janet MillsLatest
- Apr 6PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 2Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 2PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Became Law
- Mar 31In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Mar 31The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-583).Minor
- Mar 31Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
- Mar 31Committee Amendment "A" (S-583) was READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Mar 31The Bill was READ ONCE.Minor
- Mar 31On motion of Representative HASENFUS of Readfield, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.
- Mar 31Reports READ.
- Mar 30Sent down for concurrence.
- Vote recorded ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 30Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-583)Minor
- Mar 30Committee Amendment "A" (S-583) READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Mar 30READ ONCE.Minor
- Mar 30Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 825 Yeas 19 - Nays 12 - Excused 4 - Absent 0
- Mar 30On motion by Senator BEEBE-CENTER of Knox the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report ACCEPTED.
- Mar 30Reports READ.
- Mar 25Reported Out - OTP-AM/ONTP
- Feb 25Voted - Divided Report
- Feb 25Work Session Held
- Jan 7In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Jan 7The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.Minor
- Jan 7Committee on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrenceIntroduced
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