News out of Augusta yesterday, that involves every one of us that drives a vehicle, turns out in our favor.

A bill that would have doubled the inspection fee died yesterday. Last month the House voted in favor of the increase. But Governor Mills threatened to veto it.

Yesterday the Senate voted to postpone the bill, and therefore the bill that would double the motor vehicle inspection fee will not happen, as the House reversed its earlier decision.

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Not now at least. But no guarantee that the bill, and certainly the topic, doesn’t come up again down the road.

The purpose of the price increase on the ‘sticker’, was to help fund the conversion to an electronic inspection system. The new system was proposed to help garages do the inspections more efficiently, and also to help curb the black market sale of inspection stickers.

Here's a fake sticker

Fake Inspection Sticker
Maine State Police via Instagram
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Currently, we pay $12.50 for the inspection (except in Cumberland County which conducts an enhanced inspection that costs those residents $18.50). The new fee was going to be increased to $25 for the rest of us.

But maybe it was timing because the day after the House voted for the increase last month, Governor Mills spokeswoman Lindsay Crete told the Sun Journal

With Maine people grappling with inflation she does not believe it is appropriate to increase costs for car inspections

Things remain the same for now. Remember not only has there been the talk of changing the system of inspections, but on the other side of the issue is talk of completely doing away with the vehicle inspection program.

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