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An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Gold Star Family Registration Plate and To Establish an Honorable Service Military Family Registration Plate
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §524-B, sub-§4  is enacted to read:
 
4.  Gold star family vanity plates.     Upon request and as provided by section 453, the Secretary of State shall issue gold star family registration plates that are also vanity plates. Gold star family vanity registration plates are issued in accordance with this section and section 453.
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §524-C  is enacted to read:
§ 524-C. Honorable service military family registration plates
 
1.  Eligibility.     Notwithstanding the requirements in section 468-A, the Secretary of State, upon application and upon evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482 and the annual motor vehicle registration fee required by section 501, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of honorable service military family registration plates to be used in lieu of regular registration plates to a person who is not eligible to receive a gold star lapel button under 10 United States Code, Section 1126 (2010) but who is eligible for a lapel button for next of kin of deceased personnel under 32 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 578.63 (2006).
 
2.  Application.     An application for honorable service military family registration plates must be accompanied by proof that the applicant is eligible for the registration plates. The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, 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 honorable service military family registration plates for display only on an automobile or pickup truck. An applicant may be issued honorable service military family registration plates for no more than one vehicle.
 
3.  Design.     The Secretary of State shall determine the design of the honorable service military family registration plate.
 
A person who does not operate a motor vehicle or register a motor vehicle and who otherwise qualifies for the issuance of honorable service military family registration plates may apply to the Secretary of State for a special single plate. The Secretary of State shall design and identify these special single plates for recognition purposes only. Special single plates may not be attached to a motor vehicle. Only one special single plate may be issued to each recipient at no fee.
 
4.  Vanity plates.     Upon request and as provided by section 453, the Secretary of State shall issue honorable service military family registration plates that are also vanity plates. Honorable service military family vanity registration plates are issued in accordance with this section and section 453.
The Secretary of State shall begin issuing honorable service military family registration plates in accordance with this section no later than January 1, 2016.
 
SUMMARY
This bill provides for issuance of gold star family vanity registration plates. It also establishes registration plates for family members of a person who died while honorably serving as an active member of the United States Armed Forces who do not fit the gold star lapel button guidelines established in 10 United States Code, Section 1126 (2010).