An Act To Create the Maine Lighthouse Trust Registration Plate
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1870
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: MIRAMANT, KESCHL, CHIPMAN, LAWRENCE, MOORE, VITELLI, CRAVEN, DOUDERA, FARNSWORTH, MATLACK
Amends: 29-A MRSA §456-I

Legislative Document
No. 1870
S.P. 642
In Senate, December 23, 2019
An Act To Create the Maine Lighthouse Trust Registration Plate
Submitted by the Secretary of State pursuant to Joint Rule 203.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 19, 2019.  Referred to the Committee 
on Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator MIRAMANT of Knox.
Cosponsored by Representative KESCHL of Belgrade and
Senators: CHIPMAN of Cumberland, LAWRENCE of York, MOORE of Washington, 
VITELLI of Sagadahoc, Representatives: CRAVEN of Lewiston, DOUDERA of Camden, 
FARNSWORTH of Portland, MATLACK of St. George.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §456-I is enacted to read:
§456-I.  Maine Lighthouse Trust registration plates
1.  Maine Lighthouse Trust 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 or 504 and 
the contribution provided for in subsection 3, shall issue a registration certificate and a set 
of Maine Lighthouse Trust special registration plates to be used in lieu of regular 
registration plates.
2.  Design; review; vanity plates.  The Secretary of State, in consultation with the 
Maine Lighthouse Trust, shall determine a design for the Maine Lighthouse Trust special 
registration plates.  The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over transportation matters shall review the final design prior to manufacture of the 
plates.  The Secretary of State shall issue upon request Maine Lighthouse Trust special 
registration plates that are also vanity plates.  Maine Lighthouse Trust special registration 
plates are issued in accordance with the provisions of this section and section 453.
3.  Contribution; credit to funds.  In addition to the regular motor vehicle 
registration fee prescribed by law for the particular class of vehicle registered, the initial 
contribution for Maine Lighthouse Trust special registration plates is $20, which must be 
deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as follows:
A.  Ten dollars to the Maine Lighthouse Trust to support lighthouse restoration and 
preservation efforts;
B.  Nine dollars to the Highway Fund for administrative and production costs; and
C.  One dollar to the Specialty License Plate Fund established under section 469.
4.  Renewal fee.  In addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee prescribed 
by law, the annual renewal contribution for Maine Lighthouse Trust special registration 
plates is $15, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as 
follows:
A.  Ten dollars to the Maine Lighthouse Trust to support lighthouse restoration and 
preservation efforts;
B.  Four dollars to the Highway Fund for administrative and production costs; and
C.  One dollar to the Specialty License Plate Fund established under section 469.
5.  Payment for costs associated with the production and issuance of the first 
2,000 plates.  The sponsor of the Maine Lighthouse Trust special registration plates shall 
provide $50,000 to the Secretary of State for costs associated with the production and 
issuance of Maine Lighthouse Trust special registration plates.  The Secretary of State 
shall deposit these funds in the Specialty License Plate Fund established under section 
469.  In accordance with section 468, subsection 3-A, the Secretary of State shall provide 
2,000 credit receipts to the sponsor.
6.  Transfer of fees.  On a quarterly basis, the Secretary of State shall transfer the 
revenue from the issuance and renewal of Maine Lighthouse Trust special registration 
plates to the Treasurer of State for deposit and crediting pursuant to subsections 3 and 4.
7.  Duplicate plates prohibited.  The Secretary of State shall issue a Maine 
Lighthouse Trust special registration plate in a unique 3-number and 3-letter combination 
sequence.  Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
8.  Date of first issue.  The Secretary of State shall issue the first Maine Lighthouse 
Trust special registration plate by October 1, 2020.
SUMMARY
This bill creates the Maine Lighthouse Trust special registration plate to support 
lighthouse restoration and preservation efforts.