Maine Revised Statutes
Article 3: REGISTRATION PLATES
29-A §468-A. Recognition license plates

§468-A. Recognition license plates
The Secretary of State may not issue a recognition license plate until the sponsor has met all of the requirements of this section and the proposed recognition license plate legislation as required by subsection 8 is reviewed by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters and approved by the Legislature. The Secretary of State shall administer a recognition license plate in accordance with this section. [PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (AMD).]
1. Definition. "Recognition license plate" means a specially designed registration plate that may be used in place of the regular plate and registration for recognition purposes only and is not used for fundraising purposes.
[PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §8 (AFF).]
2. Sponsor. A person shall register with the Secretary of State as the sponsor of a recognition license plate.
[PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §8 (AFF).]
3. Names, signatures and payment. The Secretary of State may not manufacture an authorized recognition license plate unless a sponsor:
A. Provides to the Secretary of State a list with 2,000 names, dated signatures and current plate numbers of supporters who have signed a statement declaring they intend to purchase and display the recognition license plate; and [PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (NEW).]
B. Collects from each supporter who signs the statement an amount of $25 for each set of plates and provides the Secretary of State the sum of these contributions in the amount of $50,000, which is nonrefundable. [PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (NEW).]
The Secretary of State shall deposit the $50,000 provided under paragraph B into the Specialty License Plate Fund established under section 469.
[PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (AMD).]
3-A. Credit receipts. The Secretary of State shall provide 2,000 credit receipts to the sponsor to provide to each supporter that contributed $25. The credit receipt may be used only to obtain one set of specialty plates.
[PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (NEW).]
4. Registration fee. The fee for the recognition license plate is in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee required by section 501 and the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482.
[PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (AMD).]
5. Minimum number manufactured. The Secretary of State shall manufacture a minimum of 2,000 recognition license plates for each recognition license plate authorized under this section.
[PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §8 (AFF).]
6. Design approval. A sponsor must submit a proposed design for a recognition license plate for approval or modification by the Secretary of State. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters shall review the final design for a recognition license plate prior to the manufacture of the plate.
[PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §8 (AFF).]
7. Duplicate plates. The Secretary of State shall issue a recognition license plate in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
[PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §8 (AFF).]
8. Deadline for Secretary of State approval. The sponsor shall submit to the Secretary of State the names, signatures, payment and proposed design for the recognition license plate by September 1st. The signatures must have been collected within 2 years of submission to the Secretary of State. If the design is approved pursuant to subsection 6, the Secretary of State shall submit proposed legislation seeking authorization of the recognition license plate to the following regular session of the Legislature.
[PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (AMD).]
9. Weight limit. A recognition license plate may not be issued for an automobile or pickup truck that weighs more than 10,000 pounds.
[PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (AMD).]
10. Limit on authorization. The Secretary of State shall retire and cease to issue any plate authorized after January 1, 2007:
A. When the number of sets of the plate issued falls below 4,000 for more than one year. [PL 2019, c. 397, §9 (AMD).]
B. [PL 2019, c. 397, §9 (RP).]
[PL 2019, c. 397, §9 (AMD).]
11. Additional versions or classes of the recognition plate. All requirements set forth in this section must be followed for each additional class or version of a recognition plate.
[PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2003, c. 652, §B2 (NEW). PL 2003, c. 652, §B8 (AFF). PL 2007, c. 383, §6 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 397, §9 (AMD).