An Act To Establish a License Plate in Support of Multiple Sclerosis Programs
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1183
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: WADSWORTH
Amends: 29-A MRSA §456-I

Legislative Document
No. 1183
H.P. 861
House of Representatives, March 22, 2021
An Act To Establish a License Plate in Support of Multiple Sclerosis 
Programs
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 18, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative WADSWORTH of Hiram.
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.  Support multiple sclerosis programs registration plates
Notwithstanding section 468, the Secretary of State shall issue support multiple 
sclerosis programs special registration plates in accordance with this section.
1.  Support multiple sclerosis programs 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 support multiple sclerosis programs 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 
plate sponsor, shall determine a design for the support multiple sclerosis programs 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 support multiple sclerosis programs special 
registration plates that are also vanity plates.  Support multiple sclerosis programs 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 support multiple sclerosis programs special registration plates is $20, which must be 
deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as follows:
A.  Ten dollars to the regional chapter of a nationwide multiple sclerosis society to 
support multiple sclerosis programs;
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 support multiple sclerosis programs special 
registration plates is $15, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited 
as follows:
A.  Ten dollars to the regional chapter of a nationwide multiple sclerosis society to 
support multiple sclerosis programs;
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 support multiple sclerosis programs special registration plates 
shall provide $50,000 to the Secretary of State for costs associated with the production and 
issuance of support multiple sclerosis programs 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 support multiple sclerosis programs special 
registration plates to the Treasurer of State for deposit and crediting pursuant to subsections 
and 4.
7.  Duplicate plates prohibited.  The Secretary of State shall issue a support multiple 
sclerosis programs 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 support multiple 
sclerosis programs special registration plate by October 1, 2023.
SUMMARY
This bill creates the support multiple sclerosis programs special registration plate to 
support multiple sclerosis programs.