An Act To Create the Maine Lighthouse Trust Registration Plate
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0266
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: DESCHAMBAULT
Amends: 29-A MRSA §456-I

Legislative Document
No. 266
S.P. 115
In Senate, February 1, 2021
An Act To Create the Maine Lighthouse Trust Registration Plate
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on January 28, 2021.  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 DESCHAMBAULT of York.
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, 2022.
SUMMARY
This bill creates the Maine Lighthouse Trust special registration plate to support 
lighthouse restoration and preservation efforts.