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An Act To Create a Retired Firefighter Registration Plate
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §456-D  is enacted to read:
§ 456-D.  Retired firefighter registration plates
The Secretary of State shall issue registration plates for a retired firefighter certified by an active fire chief or assistant fire chief or acting fire chief as retired in accordance with this section and section 468 beginning November 1, 2008. Retired firefighter registration plates are not required for registration of a motor vehicle but are to allow retired firefighters to participate voluntarily in funding fire prevention programs.
 
1.  Retired firefighter registration plates.     The Secretary of State, upon receiving an application and evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482, the annual motor vehicle registration fee required by section 501 and the administrative fee and voluntary contribution provided for in subsection 2, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of retired firefighter registration plates to be used in lieu of regular registration plates. These plates must bear identification numbers and letters.
 
2.  Administrative fee and contribution to special programs.     A person may contribute to the Retired Firefighter Special Programs Fund under subsection 5 by applying for the retired firefighter registration plates and submitting, in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee, $20 credited as follows:
 
A.  Ten dollars to the Retired Firefighter Special Programs Fund under subsection 5; and
 
B.  Ten dollars to the Specialty License Plate Fund under section 469 for administration and production costs.
 
3.  Design.     A sponsor shall submit a design for the retired firefighter registration plate to the Secretary of State for approval or modification in accordance with section 468, subsection 5.
 
4.  Renewal fee.     In addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee prescribed by law, the annual renewal contribution for retired firefighter registration plates is $15, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as follows:
 
A.  Ten dollars to the Retired Firefighter Special Programs Fund under subsection 5; and
 
B.  Five dollars to the Specialty License Plate Fund under section 469 for administration and production costs.
 
5.  Special fund established.     The Treasurer of State shall establish the Retired Firefighter Special Programs Fund, into which fees paid for retired firefighter registration plates are deposited pursuant to subsections 2 and 4 to fund programs that offer fire prevention and fire safety training.
 
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the issuance of a special registration plate for retired firefighters that will fund special programs that offer fire prevention and fire safety training.