RUMFORD — Cab drivers with felony convictions such as murder and robbery, and those who are convicted sex offenders required to register for life will not be able to drive taxis in Rumford, if voters approve a proposed taxi law change at next week’s special town meeting.

That change, which was suggested at Thursday night’s public hearing on the board’s proposed amendment to the taxi law, replaces the board’s decision last month to allow cabbies with Class A felony convictions to wait 10 years before applying for a license to drive taxis in Rumford.

Another suggestion was to give cabbies 30 days in which to apply for a license to drive taxis if the proposed changes are approved at the special town meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, in Rumford Falls Auditorium.

The initial proposal establishes time limits on criminal convictions for cabbies and requires them to apply annually for licenses to drive taxis. They must also pay $20 for criminal history background checks on themselves to ensure compliance with the ordinance.

“The intent is to balance the town’s concern for safety of its citizens with the taxi cab companies’ ability to hire and retain qualified drivers,” Board of Selectmen Chairman Brad Adley said, reading from the special town meeting warrant.

The current ordinance amendment adopted two years ago and enforced for the first time in December to the surprise of owners of the town’s three cab companies — Road Hog Express, Courtesy Cab and Mountain Valley Taxi Service — lacks a statute of limitations.

It forces company shutdowns during a company’s annual license renewal application in December if cabbies have criminal convictions.

The amendment wasn’t enforced until last month when police Chief Stacy Carter received a list of drivers and learned that nine of the 12 working for Road Hog and Courtesy Cab had criminal convictions dating back to 1968.

That meant they could no longer drive cabs in Rumford according to the ordinance, which makes taxi company owners ensure that their drivers have no felony convictions, or more than three misdemeanor convictions related to driving.

Cabbies from Mountain Valley Taxi Service didn’t have any convictions restricted by the ordinance, Carter said.

At Thursday night’s hearing, Road Hog Express owner Joseph Downs said cab company owners would not hire convicted sex offenders to drive cabs.

But the law change as initially proposed would have allowed it after a 10-year wait.

Town attorney Thomas Carey recommended changing the language in the proposal to restrict all convicted sex offenders on lifetime registry from driving taxis in town.

“Class A is the most serious offenses in the state, so if you’re convicted of murder, which is a Class A offense, the suggestion is to separate that out,” Carey said.

“Would you want someone like that driving a cab in Rumford?” Selectman Mark Belanger asked.

“No,” Selectman Frank DiConzo said.

A second public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, after which the special town meeting will be held to vote on the proposed changes.

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Mountain Valley Taxi Service co-owner Deb Cayer of Andover asks selectmen at Thursday night’s public hearing in Rumford on their proposed changes to the taxi law if cabbies can block personal information on driver’s licenses that are required to be displayed in cabs. Cayer said cabbies can be placed at risk if information such as their address is visible. Town Manager Carlo Puiia said neither the current ordinance nor the proposed amendment restricts blocking personal information.