The final version of the bill cuts out much of what was proposed, due to concerns about unintended consequences. The final version does accomplish two things:
First, it adds a clause to 23 MRS section 3105-A. This is the law that allows a town to use its equipment on "private ways" (that is, roads that have been designated as "public easements" as opposed to strictly private roads) when it is deemed to be in the best interest of the public for fire and police protection. In the past, some towns (particularly in Windham) have used this statute to allow them to provide snow removal for private roads by having them dedicated to the public as public easements. Other towns have taken section 3105-A to mean only that they can send a plow in front of the fire truck if your house is actually on fire. (By that time, it's too late to be of much use.) The final version of L.D. 2264 clarifies the intent of the bill by adding the phrase, "to plow, maintain or repair those private ways to the extent directed by the legislative body." This will allow a town to vote to determine exactly what they want to allow.
Second, the bill allows the Commission on Abandoned and Discontinued Roads to meet up to 12 times per year. (Originally they were only allowed up to 6 meetings, which proved not to be enough to make substantial progress.) Hopefully this will enable them to untangle more of this highly complex problem and propose more productive solutions for these "orphaned roads" next legislative session.