Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §351, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

1. Failure to register. A person commits a Class E crime traffic infraction if that person fails to register a vehicle that is operated or remains on a public way as provided by this Title.

Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §351, sub-§1-A, as repealed and replaced by PL 1995, c. 584, Pt. B, §4, is amended to read:

1-A. Residents required to register. An owner of a vehicle who becomes a resident of this State shall register that vehicle in this State within 30 days of establishing residency. A person who operates or allows a vehicle to remain on a public way that is not registered in accordance with this subsection to remain on a public way commits a Class E crime traffic infraction pursuant to subsection 1.

Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §351, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is repealed.

Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §351, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:

2-A.__Operating a motor vehicle with an expired registration.__ A violation of this section is a traffic infraction punishable by a forfeiture of:

A.__Twenty-five dollars if the registration of the motor vehicle has been expired for 2 months or less;

B.__Fifty dollars if the registration of the motor vehicle has been expired for over 2 months but no more than 3 months; or

C.__Seventy-five dollars if the registration of the motor vehicle has been expired for more than 3 months.

The Secretary of State may not assess points against a violator's motor vehicle operator's license issued pursuant to section 1251 for a first-time violation of this section, but the Bureau of Motor Vehicles shall keep a record of that violation.__The Secretary of State may assess points against a violator's motor vehicle operator's license issued pursuant to section 1251 if the violator violates this section twice within a 2-year period.__ Three or more violations of this section within a 10-year period constitute a Class E crime punishable by a 30-day loss of license.