Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

APPROVED                  CHAPTER
                                                                   JUNE 8, 2021                  89
                                                                 BY GOVERNOR               PUBLIC LAW
                                  STATE OF MAINE
                                             _____
                           IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
                        TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE
                                             _____
                                   S.P. 138 - L.D. 312
An Act To Extend the Maine Bicentennial Commission and the Use of Maine
              Bicentennial Registration Plates through 2021
    Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
    Whereas, the State's COVID-19 response has delayed celebration of the State's
bicentennial and restrictions on the display of commemorative vehicle registration plates
prevent their use after December 31, 2020; and
    Whereas, this legislation must take effect as soon as possible in order to allow the use
of commemorative vehicle registration plates in order to celebrate the State's bicentennial;
and
    Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
    Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §454, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and
affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:
     2. Display. A commemorative plate may be displayed to replace the front registration
plate on a motor vehicle, except a truck tractor, including a motor vehicle registered outside
this State and operated within it, from January 1st to December 31st of the year celebrated,
except that a commemorative plate celebrating the bicentennial of the State may be
displayed until December 31, 2021.
    Sec. 2. Resolve 2015, c. 23, §1 is amended to read:
    Sec. 1. State of Maine Bicentennial commemorative plate. Resolved: That
the Secretary of State shall issue, at no cost to the Secretary of State, a reflectorized,
commemorative simulated registration plate in recognition and celebration of the
bicentennial of the State, which became the 23rd state on March 15, 1820. The Secretary
of State shall design the plate, and the plate must bear the date of its expiration, which is
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December 31, 2020. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 454,
the State of Maine Bicentennial commemorative plate may be displayed by covering, but
not removing, the front registration plate on a motor vehicle, including a motor vehicle
registered outside this State and operated within it, beginning January 1, 2018 to December
31, 2020 2021. All State of Maine Bicentennial commemorative plates, including any such
plates that bear an expiration date of December 31, 2020, expire on December 31, 2021.
The plate may not be displayed on a truck tractor as defined in Title 29-A, section 101,
subsection 90; and be it further
    Sec. 3. Resolve 2015, c. 23, §2 is amended to read:
    Sec. 2. Administrative fee; distribution. Resolved: That the Secretary of State
shall develop a plan for the sale and distribution of the State of Maine Bicentennial
commemorative plates, including in 2021. The fee for the State of Maine Bicentennial
commemorative plate is $25, which must be credited as follows:
    1. Nine dollars per plate to the Secretary of State for the costs associated with the
production and issuance of the plates; and
    2. Sixteen dollars per plate to the Maine State Cultural Affairs Council established
under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 7-A; and be it
further
    Sec. 4. Resolve 2017, c. 25, §3 is amended to read:
    Sec. 3. Appointment terms. Resolved: That the Legislators appointed to the
commission serve terms coincident with their legislative terms and are appointed every 2
years. Legislators may be reappointed to the commission and may continue to serve until
their replacements are designated. Other members are appointed for terms that expire
December 31, 2020 2021; a vacancy is filled in the same manner as the original
appointment. The terms of members whose terms expired on December 31, 2020 are
deemed to continue and expire instead on December 31, 2021; and be it further
    Sec. 5. Resolve 2017, c. 25, §8 is amended to read:
    Sec. 8. Report. Resolved: That, no later than December 6, 2017, November 7,
2018, December 4, 2019 and, November 4, 2020 and December 1, 2021, the commission
shall submit a progress report includes progress reports that include its findings and
recommendations for presentation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having
jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs; and be it further
    Sec. 6. Retroactivity. This Act applies retroactively to December 31, 2020.
    Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation
takes effect when approved.
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Statutes affected: 
Bill Text LD 312, SP 138: 29-A.454
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 89: 29-A.454