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An Act To Establish a Gold Star Family Member License Plate
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §524, sub-§5  is enacted to read:
 
5.  Gold star family member medal recipients; special license plates.     Notwithstanding the requirements in section 468-A, the Secretary of State, on application and upon evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of Gold Star Family Member registration plates, to be used in lieu of regular registration plates, to a person who is a gold star medal recipient under Title 37-B, section 3, subsection 1, paragraph D, subparagraph (17).
 
An application for Gold Star Family Member plates must be accompanied by proof that the applicant has been awarded the gold star medal. The Secretary of State shall verify the documentation presented by the applicant. Misrepresentation of documents is in violation of section 2103, subsection 5.
 
The Secretary of State may issue Gold Star Family Member plates for display only on an automobile or pickup truck. A recipient may be issued Gold Star Family Member plates for no more than 2 vehicles.
 
The surviving spouse of a person issued Gold Star Family Member plates in accordance with this subsection may retain and display the Gold Star Family Member plates as long as the surviving spouse remains unmarried. Upon remarriage, the surviving spouse may not use the Gold Star Family Member plates on a motor vehicle, but may retain them as a keepsake. Upon the death of the surviving spouse, the family may retain the Gold Star Family Member plates, but may not use them on a motor vehicle.
 
The Secretary of State shall determine the design of the Gold Star Family Member plate. Upon request and as provided by section 453, the Secretary of State shall issue Gold Star Family Member plates that are also vanity plates. Gold Star Family Member vanity plates are issued in accordance with this section and section 453. The annual service fee of $15 for vanity plates is credited to the Highway Fund.
 
A gold star medal recipient or the surviving spouse of a gold star medal recipient who does not operate a motor vehicle or register a motor vehicle and who otherwise qualifies for the issuance of special Gold Star Family Member registration plates may apply to the Secretary of State for a special single plate recognizing that award. The Secretary of State shall design and identify these single plates for recognition purposes only. Single Gold Star Family Member plates may not be attached to a motor vehicle. Only one plate may be issued to each recipient and a one-time fee of $5 charged.
 
The Secretary of State shall begin issuing Gold Star Family Member plates in accordance with this subsection no later than November 1, 2010.
 
SUMMARY
This bill establishes the Gold Star Family Member license plate for gold star medal recipients. Gold star medals are awarded by the Adjutant General to express formally condolence and appreciation to the closest surviving family members of members of the United States Armed Forces who, since September 11, 2001, are killed in action or die as a consequence of injuries that result in the award of a Purple Heart medal.