An Act To Rebrand Maine's License Plate Slogan from Vacationland" to "Staycationland
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0120
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: ACKLEY, FECTEAU
Amends: 29-A MRSA §451, 29-A MRSA §501

Legislative Document
No. 120
H.P. 102
House of Representatives, January 17, 2019
An Act To Rebrand Maine's License Plate Slogan from 
"Vacationland" to "Staycationland"
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative ACKLEY of Monmouth.
Cosponsored by Representative: FECTEAU of Biddeford.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §451, sub-§4, ¶C, as amended by PL 1997, c. 776, §8, is 
further amended to read:
C.  On registration plates issued for private use, the word "Vacationland" 
"Staycationland" must be centered at the bottom, except, when the Secretary of State 
determines that for other than passenger vehicles, that space may be used for class 
identifiers.
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §451, sub-§4-A, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 311, §1, is 
amended to read:
C.  On registration plates issued for private use and trucks, the word "Vacationland" 
"Staycationland" must be centered at the bottom in letters not less than 3/4 inch in 
height, except, when the Secretary of State determines that for other than passenger 
vehicles, that space may be used for class codes.
Sec. 3.  29-A MRSA §501, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 206, §4, is further 
amended to read:
1.  Automobiles; pickup trucks.  The fee for an automobile, a pickup truck 
registered for 6,000 pounds or less or a sport utility vehicle used for the conveyance of 
passengers or interchangeably for passengers or property is $35.  The fee for a pickup 
truck registered for more than 6,000 pounds but no more than 10,000 pounds is $37.
An automobile or sport utility vehicle used for the conveyance of passengers or property 
is a "combination" vehicle and may be issued a special plate with the word "combination" 
instead of "Vacationland." "Staycationland."  A passenger vehicle used under contract 
with the State, a municipality or a school district to transport students must be designated 
as "combination."  A vehicle owned or operated by parents or legal guardians is exempt 
from this subsection.
Commercial plates may not be issued for or displayed on an automobile.
A sport utility vehicle may be registered either as an automobile or a truck.  A sport 
utility vehicle with a gross vehicle weight or combined gross vehicle weight in excess of 
10,000 pounds and used in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise must be registered 
as a truck according to its actual gross weight as provided in section 504.
The gross weight of a pickup truck registered as provided by this subsection may not 
exceed 10,000 pounds.  An owner of a pickup truck who operates the pickup truck with a 
gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds or the pickup truck drawing a semitrailer with a 
combined gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds must register the truck as provided in 
section 504.
A combination of vehicles consisting of a motor vehicle and a camp trailer is not required 
to be registered for the gross weight of the combination.
Beginning July 1, 2009, $10 of the fee must be transferred on a quarterly basis by the 
Treasurer of State to the TransCap Trust Fund established by Title 30-A, section 6006-G.
Sec. 4.  29-A MRSA §501, sub-§11, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 397, §3, is 
amended to read:
11.  Low-speed vehicles.  The Secretary of State may issue a registration for a 
low-speed vehicle upon application and payment of an annual fee of $25.  The registrant 
must provide a certificate of title required by section 651, proof of financial responsibility 
required by section 1601 and evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, 
section 1482.  A low-speed vehicle registered under this section is issued a registration 
plate with the word "low-speed" instead of "Vacationland." "Staycationland."  The 
Secretary of State may issue a facsimile plate for a 60-day period.
Sec. 5.  Issuance of Staycationland registration plate.  Notwithstanding the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 451, subsection 4, paragraph C; section 451, 
subsection 4-A, paragraph C; section 501, subsections 1 and 11, the Secretary of State 
may issue motor vehicle registration plates with the word "Staycationland" on a schedule 
that is within existing budgeted resources.
SUMMARY
This bill changes the slogan on motor vehicle license plates issued by the State from 
"Vacationland" to "Staycationland."