Public Law, Chapter 229, 123rd Legislature, First Regular Session

Chapter 229 H.P. 724 - L.D. 964

An Act To Establish a Special License Plate To Honor Maine Residents Serving Our Country

Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas, Maine residents serving in conflicts throughout the world need our support; and

Whereas, the need to support our troops and assist their families is urgent and important; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§84-A is enacted to read:

84-A.

Transportation: Motor Vehicles

We Support Our Troops Advisory Board

Not Authorized

29-A MRSA §456-D

Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §456-D is enacted to read:

§ 456-D. We Support Our Troops registration plates

The Secretary of State shall issue registration plates, referred to in this section as "We Support Our Troops plates," to support Maine troops and their families in accordance with this section and section 468, except that the provisions of section 468, subsection 7 do not apply.

1. We Support Our Troops plates. The Secretary of State, upon receiving an application and evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482, the registration fee required by section 501 and the administrative fee and contribution provided for in subsection 2, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of We Support Our Troops 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 funds for the purposes of providing financial assistance to members of the Maine National Guard and their families or residents of the State who are members of the Reserves of the Armed Forces of the United States and their families for emergencies and other special needs by applying for the We Support Our Troops plates and submitting, in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee required under section 501, a sum of $20, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as follows:

A. Ten dollars to the Maine National Guard Foundation Fund Special Revenue Funds account in the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, referred to in this section as "the fund," for use in accordance with subsection 7; and

B. Ten dollars to the Highway Fund for administrative and production costs.

3. Renewal fee. In addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee required under section 501, the annual renewal contribution for We Support Our Troops plates is $15, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as follows:

A. Ten dollars to the fund for use in accordance with subsection 7; and

B. Five dollars to the Highway Fund established in section 469 for administrative and production costs.

4. Design. A sponsor must submit a design for the We Support Our Troops plates to the Secretary of State for approval or modification in accordance with section 468, subsection 5. The design must include the shape of the boundaries of the State of Maine, with an image of a curled ribbon superimposed over the shape of the State, with the words "We Support Our Troops" printed along the bottom of the plate. The Secretary of State shall provide the final design to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters prior to manufacture of the plates. The Secretary of State shall issue upon request We Support Our Troops plates that are also vanity plates. We Support Our Troops plates are issued in accordance with the provisions of this section and section 453.

5. Duplicate plates prohibited. The Secretary of State shall issue a We Support Our Troops plate in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.

6. Weight limit. A We Support Our Troops plate may be issued for a motor vehicle that does not exceed 10,000 pounds. A motor vehicle that exceeds 6,000 pounds is subject to the fees in section 504.

7. Administration of fees. The Secretary of State shall deposit to the Highway Fund $20 for each initial set of We Support Our Troops plates and $15 for each renewal of We Support Our Troops plates. The Treasurer of State shall transfer quarterly from the Highway Fund to the fund $10 for each set of We Support Our Troops plates issued and for each renewal of We Support Our Troops plates.

The Treasurer of State shall reimburse the sponsor $20,000 of the original payment from the Highway Fund after the issuance of the first 2,000 registration plates under this section.

Revenue in the fund must be used to provide financial assistance to members of the Maine National Guard, residents of the State who are members of the Reserves of the Armed Forces of the United States and the families of those members of the Maine National Guard or Reserves of the Armed Forces of the United States for emergencies and other special needs as determined by the We Support Our Troops Advisory Board established in Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 84-A.

8. We Support Our Troops Advisory Board. The We Support Our Troops Advisory Board, as established by Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 84-A and referred to in this section as "the board," consists of 9 members. Membership of the advisory board is as follows:

A. Eight members appointed by the Governor, in consultation with the Adjutant General of the State of Maine, as follows:

(1) Two persons, each representing the interests of the Maine National Guard;

(2) Two persons, each representing the interests of Maine residents in the Reserves of the Armed Forces of the United States; and

(3) Four persons representing the interests of the public; and

B. The Adjutant General of the State of Maine.

The Adjutant General serves during the Adjutant General's term of office. The terms of members appointed under paragraph A are for 3 years. Members may be reappointed for subsequent terms. A vacancy must be filled in the same manner as an original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.

The board shall determine the use of the revenue in the fund. Revenue in the fund must be used to provide financial assistance in the form of loans or grants to members of the Maine National Guard, residents of the State who are members of the Reserves of the Armed Forces of the United States and the families of those members of the Maine National Guard or Reserves of the Armed Forces of the United States for emergencies and other special needs.

The board shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters by June 30th of each year. The report must provide a detailed account of funds for each fiscal year and include the number of loans and grants awarded, the names of those who received loans and grant money, a description of the process for awarding loans and grants and the total amount of loan and grant money awarded.

Sec. 3. Staggered terms for We Support Our Troops Advisory Board members. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 456-D, subsection 8, the first members appointed under Title 29-A, section 456-D, subsection 8, paragraph A, subparagraph (1) serve for 1 year, the first members appointed under Title 29-A, section 456-D, subsection 8, paragraph A, subparagraph (2) serve for 2 years and the first members appointed under Title 29-A, section 456-D, subsection 8, paragraph A, subparagraph (3) serve for 3 years.

Sec. 4. Timing of issuance of plates. The Secretary of State shall begin issuing We Support Our Troops plates under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 456-D on November 1, 2007 if the sponsor of the plate who is registered under Title 29-A, section 468, subsection 1 provided to the Secretary of State by May 1, 2007 the sum of $18,018 for deposit in the Specialty License Plate Fund established under Title 29-A, section 469. This amount represents the incremental cost of issuing the specialty plate beginning November 1, 2007. If the full specified sum was not provided by the specified date, the Secretary of State shall begin issuing We Support Our Troops plates by April 1, 2008.

Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

CORRECTIONS, DEPARTMENT OF

State Prison 0144

Initiative: Allocates for the cost of the stock needed to produce "We Support Our Troops" specialty registration plates.

PRISON INDUSTRIES FUND	2007-08	2008-09
All Other	$2,000	$2,060

PRISON INDUSTRIES FUND TOTAL	$2,000	$2,060

CORRECTIONS, DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2007-08	2008-09

PRISON INDUSTRIES FUND	$2,000	$2,060

DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$2,000	$2,060

SECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF

Administration - Motor Vehicles 0077

Initiative: Allocates for the cost of manufacturing "We Support Our Troops" specialty registration plates.

OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS	2007-08	2008-09
All Other	$58,018	$0

OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL	$58,018	$0

SECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2007-08	2008-09

OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS	$58,018	$0

DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$58,018	$0

SECTION TOTALS	2007-08	2008-09

OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS	$58,018	$0
PRISON INDUSTRIES FUND	$2,000	$2,060

SECTION TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$60,018	$2,060

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

Effective June 5, 2007.

Public Laws

123rd Legislature

First Regular Session

Chapter 229

H.P. 724 - L.D. 964