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An Act To Allow a Duplicate Vanity License Plate in a Different Classification of Plate
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §456-A, sub-§7,  as enacted by PL 2001, c. 623, §4, is amended to read:
 
7. Numbering and lettering of plates.   The Secretary of State shall issue a lobster plate in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §456-B, sub-§7,  as enacted by PL 2001, c. 623, §4, is amended to read:
 
7. Numbering and lettering of plates.   The Secretary of State shall issue a Maine Black Bears plate in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §456-C, sub-§1,  as amended by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. LLLL, §2, is further amended to read:
 
1. Sportsman registration plates.   The Secretary of State, upon receiving an application and evidence of payment of the registration fee required by section 501 and the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of sportsman plates to be used in lieu of regular registration plates. These plates must bear identification numbers and letters. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate. The Secretary of State shall begin issuing sportsmensportsman registration plates by April 1, 2008.
Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §456-D, sub-§5,  as repealed and replaced by PL 2007, c. 703, §7, is amended to read:
 
5. Duplicate plates prohibited.   The Secretary of State shall issue a We Support Our Troops plate in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
Sec. 5. 29-A MRSA §456-E, sub-§7,  as enacted by PL 2007, c. 547, §2, is amended to read:
 
7. Numbering and lettering of plates.   The Secretary of State shall issue breast cancer support services special registration plates in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
Sec. 6. 29-A MRSA §456-F, sub-§6,  as enacted by PL 2007, c. 703, §10, is amended to read:
 
6. Numbering and lettering of plates.   The Secretary of State shall issue an agriculture education plate in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
Sec. 7. 29-A MRSA §468, sub-§6,  as amended by PL 2007, c. 695, Pt. A, §33, is further amended to read:
 
6. Numbering, lettering and duplicate plates.   Except as provided in section 456-C, the Secretary of State shall issue a specialty license plate in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
Sec. 8. 29-A MRSA §468-A, sub-§7,  as enacted by PL 2003, c. 652, Pt. B, §2 and affected by §8, is amended to read:
 
7. Numbering and lettering of plates.   The Secretary of State shall issue a recognition license plate in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
Sec. 9. 29-A MRSA §519, sub-§7,  as enacted by PL 2005, c. 80, §1, is amended to read:
 
7. Firefighter vanity plates.   Effective March 1, 2006 the Secretary of State shall issue firefighter registration plates that are also vanity plates. Firefighter registration vanity plates are issued in accordance with section 453. Firefighter registration vanity plates may not duplicate vanity registration plates in any other class of plate.
Sec. 10. 29-A MRSA §523, sub-§3-A,  as enacted by PL 2007, c. 376, §1, is amended to read:
 
3-A. Motorcycle plates; veterans.   In addition to any plate issued pursuant to subsection 3, the Secretary of State, on application and evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482, the registration fee required by section 515, subsection 1 and a one-time additional fee of $5, shall issue a registration certificate and a special veterans registration plate for one designated motorcycle owned or controlled by a person who has served in the United States Armed Forces and who has been honorably discharged.
 
Each application must be accompanied by the applicant's Armed Forces Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214, or certification from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the appropriate branch of the United States Armed Forces verifying the applicant's military service and honorable discharge.
 
All surplus revenue collected for issuance of the special veterans registration plates is retained by the Secretary of State to maintain and support this program.
 
Upon request the Secretary of State shall issue special veterans registration plates for a motorcycle that are also vanity plates. These plates are issued in accordance with this section and section 453. Vanity plates issued under this subsection may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
 
The surviving spouse of a recipient of a special veterans registration plate issued in accordance with this subsection may retain and display the plate as long as the surviving spouse remains unmarried. Upon remarriage, the surviving spouse may not use the plate on a motorcycle, but may retain it as a keepsake. Upon the death of the surviving spouse, the family may retain the plate, but may not use it on a motorcycle.
 
The Secretary of State may not issue special commemorative decals under subsection 5 or 6 for use on special veterans registration plates for a motorcycle.
[PL 2007, c. 376, § 1 (NEW).]
Sec. 11. 29-A MRSA §524-A, sub-§5,  as enacted by PL 2003, c. 683, §1, is amended to read:
 
5. Numbering and lettering of plates.   The Secretary of State shall issue Wabanaki plates in a 3-number and 3-letter combination sequence. Vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
 
SUMMARY
This bill repeals the prohibition that vanity plates may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.