Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §903, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

3. Plate reduction. The Upon renewal, the number of plates allowed a motor vehicle dealer who fails to sell, through retail sales, a minimum of one vehicle per month or 12 vehicles within a 12-month period must be reduced to one dealer plate unless the Secretary of State determines that the reduction is not warranted, and the motor vehicle dealer may not be allocated a dealer plate under section 1002, subsection 1, paragraph B. Upon application for a 2nd renewal, a motor vehicle dealer must be denied renewal if the Secretary of State determines that the dealer sold fewer than 4 vehicles, through retail sales, in the previous license year, at which time all dealer credentials issued previously must be returned to the Secretary of State.

Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §1002, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

B. Personal use by a manufacturer or dealer. There may be no more than one One dealer plate may be issued for the personal use of the manufacturer or dealer and one dealer plate for the personal use of the immediate family of the dealer as long as a fee of $300 is paid annually to the municipality in which the dealer resides for each plate in lieu of excise taxes.__Evidence of the payment must be supplied to the Secretary of State as a condition of receiving and renewing the plates;

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Secretary of State not only to reduce the number of dealer plates to one upon the renewal of a motor vehicle dealer license if the motor vehicle dealer sells fewer than 12 vehicles in a 12-month period but also prohibits the Secretary of State from issuing a dealer plate for personal use. The bill also requires a motor vehicle dealer to return all dealer plates if the dealer sells fewer than 4 vehicles in the previous year. The bill also requires a fee of $300 to be charged for each dealer plate issued for personal use.