An Act To Amend the Motor Vehicle Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1700
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: HATCH, USHER
Amends: 29-A MRSA §504, 29-A MRSA §523, 36 MRSA §1482

Legislative Document 
No. 1700 
S.P.632 
In Senate, December 17, 2003 
An Act To Amend the Motor Vehicle Laws 
Submitted by the Secretary of State pursuant to Joint Rule 204. 
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 16,2003. Referred to the Committee 
on Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. 
Presented by Senator HATCH of Somerset. 
Cosponsored by Representative USHER of Westbrook. 
Printed on recycled paper 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §504, sub-§I, ,v-I is enacted to read: 
Y-1. 
For gross weight from 75,001 to 76,000 pounds, the fee 
is $833. 
This paragraph is repealed December 31, 2004. 
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §504, sub-§I, 1fZ, as amended by PL 1999, c. 
790, Pt. C, §8 and affected by §19, is further amended to read: 
Z. 
For gross weight from +9 T GGl 76,001 to 78,000 pounds, 
the fee is $857. 
This paragraph is repealed December 31, 2004. 
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §504, sub-§I, 1fZ-l is enacted to read: 
Z-l. 
For gross weight from 75,001 to 78,000 pounds, the fee 
is $857. 
This paragraph takes effect December 31, 2004. 
Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §523, sub-§3. as repealed and replaced by PL 
2001, c. 671, §10, is amended to read: 
3. Special veterans registration plates. 
The Secretary of 
State, on application and evidence of payment of the excise tax 
required by Title 36, 
section 1482 
and the registration fee 
required by section 501, shall issue a registration certificate 
and a set of special veterans registration plates to be used in 
lieu 
of 
regular 
registration plates 
for 
a 
vehicle 
with 
a 
registered gross weight of not more than 9,000 pounds to any 
person who has served in the United States Armed Forces and who 
has 
been honorably discharged. 
If a 
veteran is the primary 
driver of 
vehicles, 
the Secretary of State 
may 
issue 
in 
accordance 
with 
this 
section 
a 
set 
of 
special 
veterans 
registration plates for each vehicle. 
Each application must be accompanied by the applicant's Armed 
Forces 
Report 
of 
Transfer 
or 
Discharge, 
DD 
Form 
214, 
or 
certification from the United States Veterans Administration or 
the 
appropriate 
branch 
of 
the 
United 
States 
Armed 
Forces 
verifying 
the 
applicant's 
military 
service 
and 
honorable 
discharge. 
All 
surplus 
revenue 
collected 
for 
issuance 
of 
registration plates is retained by the Secretary 
maintain and support this program. 
the 
special 
of State to 
• 
The Secretary of State may 
issue 
a 
set of special veterans 
registration plates in the name of a company if the company is 
owned solely by a veteran who qualifies for a veteran plate under 
this section. 
The qualifying veteran must be the primary driver 
of the company vehicle. 
The surviving spouse of a special veteran plate recipient issued 
plates in accordance with this subsection may retain and display 
the 
special veteran plates 
as 
long as 
the 
surv~v~ng spouse 
remains unmarried. 
Upon remarriage, the surviving spouse may not 
use the special veteran plates on a motor vehicle, but may retain 
them as a keepsake. 
Upon the death of the surviving spouse, the 
family may retain the special veteran plates, but may not use 
them on a motor vehicle. 
The 
Secretary 
of 
State 
may 
issue 
a 
special 
disability 
registration plate for veterans in accordance with section 521, 
subsections 1, 5, 7 and 9. 
The special disability registration 
plate for veterans must bear the International Symbol of Access. 
Sec. S. 29-A MRSA §S33-A, sub-§3, ~A, as amended by PL 2001, 
c. 361, §15, is further amended to read: 
A. 
Between July 1st and October 31st, the Secretary of 
State shall disburse to a participating municipality a sum 
equal to the difference in the amount of excise tax that 
would have been collected by that municipality in the prior 
fiscal year on each commercial motor vehicle under Title 36, 
section 1482, subsection 1, paragraph C, 
subparagraph (3) 
using the manufacturer's suggested retail price from the 
amount 
of 
that 
excise 
tax 
actually 
collected 
by 
that 
municipality in the prior fiscal year based on the actual 
purchase price. 
The reimbursement is. limited to vehicles 
less than 6 years old, determined by the model year. 
The 
Secretary of State shall provide supporting documentation to 
a municipality regarding the disbursement that municipality 
receives under this section. 
Sec. 6. 36 MRSA §1482, sub-§l, ~C, as amended by PL 2001, c. 
671, §32, is further amended to read: 
c. 
For the privilege of operating a motor vehicle or camper 
trailer on the public ways, each motor vehicle, other than a 
stock race car, or each camper trailer to be so operated is 
subject to excise tax as follows, except as specified in 
subparagraph (3): 
a sum equal to 24 mills on each dollar of 
the maker's list price for the first or current year of 
model, 17 1/2 mills for the 2nd year, 13 1/2 mills for the 
3rd year, 10 mills for the 4th year, 6 1/2 mills for the 5th 
year and 4 mills for the 6th and succeeding years. 
The 
minimum tax is $5 for a motor vehicle other than a bicycle 
with 
motor 
attached, 
$2.50 
for 
a 
bicycle 
with 
motor 
attached, $15 for a camper trailer other than a tent trailer 
and $5 for a tent trailer. 
The excise tax on a stock race 
car is $5. 
(1) 
On 
new registrations of automobiles, 
trucks and 
truck tractors, the excise tax payment must be made 
prior to registration and is for a one-year period from 
the date of registration. 
(2) 
Vehicles 
registered 
under 
the 
International 
Registration 
Plan 
are 
subject 
to 
an 
determined 
on 
a 
monthly 
proration 
basis 
registration period is less than 12 months. 
excise 
tax 
if their 
( 3 ) 
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aeEel'miaea-~-~ae--in-~~~-~J.J.-~~-~~€-~F-~~-sEaEe 
sales-~a~-~-~~~~-aE-pe-iR~-~--~~r&~&er--±Re 
iaiEial-~-l-l-~~-£aJ.e--~-ERaE-~~-a~-~ae-~~--Ee 
ERe--iR-i~-iaJ.-~~-~~-new-veRieleT The excise tax 
on trucks, truck tractors and special mobile equipment 
is determined on 
the actual purchase price in the 
original title year rather than the maker's list price 
when: 
i2l 
The motor vehicle is registered for more than 
26,000 pounds: 
( b) 
The 
actual 
sales price is less 
than the 
maker's list price; and 
i£l 
The motor vehicle is less than 6 years old as 
determined by the model year. 
Verification of purchase price for the application of 
excise tax is determined by the initial bill of sale or 
the state sales 
tax 
document 
provided at point of 
purchase. 
The initial bill of sale is that issued by 
the dealer to the initial purchaser of a new vehicle. 
For motor vehicles being registered pursuant to Title 29-A, 
section 405, subsection 1, paragraph C, the excise tax must 
be prorated for the number of months in the registration. 
Sec. 7. PL2003,c.356,§14 is amended to read: 
Sec. 
14. 
Appropriations 
and 
allocations. 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
The 
following 
SECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE 
BQFeaQ-9f-AdmiBiG~Fa~ive-Se£vieeG-aad-~9Fp9Fa~i9BG--gfi9~ 
Administration -
Motor Vehicles 0077 
Initiative: 
Allocates 
funds 
operating costs 
necessary 
to 
Franchise Board. 
for 
one 
Attorney 
staff 
the 
Maine 
g~eF-Speeial-ReveBQe-¥QBdG ai~ay Fund 
Positions - Legislative Count 
Personal Services 
All Other 
Capital Expenditures 
gtReF-Speeia~-ReyeBye-~YBaS 
Highway Fund Total 
2003-04 
(1.000) 
$51, 188 
$13,788 
$15,297 
$80,273 
position 
and 
Motor 
Vehicle 
2004-05 
(1.000) 
$74,057 
$10,488 
$0 
$84,545 
Sec. 8. Effective date. 
Those sections of this Act that amend 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 533-A, subsection 
3, 
paragraph 
A 
and 
Title 
36, 
section 
1482, 
subsection 
1, 
paragraph C take effect January 1, 2005. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows the Secretary of State to issue disability 
special veteran plates. 
The bill also adds 
for the 4-ax1e pilot 
chapter 687. 
a new 
project 
registration category to be used 
authorized by Public Law 
2001, 
The bill requires that excise tax be calculated on the 
actual sales price of trucks, truck tractors and special mobile 
equipment when the registered weight is more than 26,000 pounds, 
the sales price is less than the manufacturer's suggested retail 
price and the vehicle is less than 6 years old. 
The bill corrects a technical error in the funding of a 
position created in Public 
Law 
2003, 
chapter 
356, 
which is 
assigned to the Department of the Secretary 
Motor Vehicles. 
The allocation is moved 
Administrative Services and Corporations to 
Vehicles Administration account. 
of State, Bureau of 
from 
the Bureau of 
the Bureau of Motor