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An Act To Create an Animal Welfare Trailer License Plate
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §456-G  is enacted to read:
§ 456-G.  Animal welfare trailer registration plate
The Secretary of State shall issue animal welfare trailer registration plates for trailers beginning November 1, 2009 in accordance with this section. An animal welfare trailer registration plate is not required for registration of a trailer but is to allow citizens to participate voluntarily to fund a program to benefit the welfare of animals.
 
1.  Animal welfare trailer registration plate.     The Secretary of State, upon receiving an application and evidence of payment of the registration fee required by sections 511 and 512 and the administrative fee and voluntary contribution provided for in subsection 2, shall issue an animal welfare trailer registration plate to be used in lieu of a regular registration plate. The plate must bear identification numbers and letters.
 
2.  Administrative fee and contribution to special programs.     A person may contribute to the Animal Welfare Fund by applying for the animal welfare trailer registration plate and submitting, in addition to the regular registration fee, a sum of $20 credited as follows:
 
A.  Nine dollars to the Animal Welfare Fund established in Title 7, section 3906-B, subsection 2;
 
B.  Ten dollars to the Highway Fund for administrative and production costs; and
 
C.  One dollar to the Specialty License Plate Fund established under section 469.
 
3.  Design.     A sponsor must submit a design for the animal welfare trailer registration plate to the Secretary of State for approval or modification in accordance with section 468. The Secretary of State shall provide the final design to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over animal welfare matters prior to manufacture of the plates.
 
4.  Renewal fee.     In addition to the trailer registration fee prescribed by law, the renewal contribution for an animal welfare trailer registration plate is $15, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State at the time of renewal pursuant to sections 511 and 512 and credited as follows:
 
A.  Nine dollars to the Animal Welfare Fund established in Title 7, section 3906-B, subsection 2;
 
B.  Five 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.  Transfer of fees.     On a quarterly basis, the Secretary of State shall transfer the revenue from the issuance and renewal of the animal welfare trailer registration plates to the Treasurer of State for deposit and crediting pursuant to subsections 2 and 4.
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §468, sub-§8,  as amended by PL 2007, c. 383, §5, is further amended to read:
 
8. Weight limit.   A specialty license plate may be issued for an automobile or pickup truck that does not exceed 10,000 pounds. A specialty license plate may be issued for a trailer.
 
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a specialty license plate for trailers to support animal welfare. The registration and renewal fees would support the Animal Welfare Fund, which helps support the expenses of furnishing animal license blanks, stickers and tags, travel expenses and salaries for animal welfare personnel, costs and payments to animal shelters and other expenses necessary in the administration of the laws concerning animal welfare.