Gov. Mills signs into law Sen. Diamond bill to set standards for vanity license plates

AUGUSTA – On Wednesday, Gov. Janet Mills signed into law a bill from Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham. An amended version of LD 130, “An Act To Create Appropriate Standards for the Secretary of State To Follow When Approving the Assignments of Vanity Registration Plates,” will strengthen the standards Maine’s Secretary of State uses to issue vanity license plates.

“With this new law, we’re making our roads a more safe and family-friendly place,” said Sen. Diamond. “The number of complaints I’ve heard about vulgar plates in recent years has been astronomical, and it’s past time to reinstate some commonsense restrictions. License plates are state property, and the state shouldn’t be endorsing some of these truly offensive messages – if you have something to say that you can’t put on a plate, put it on a bumper sticker. I know that I and many Mainers are grateful for this new law.”

Sen. Diamond served as Maine’s Secretary of State from 1989 to 1997, when Maine’s vanity plate program was first implemented. In 2015, Maine repealed restrictions on license plates that could be considered obscene, contemptuous, profane or prejudicial, or which promoted abusive or unlawful activity. Maine law previously prohibited plates that encourage violence, may result in an act of violence or spur other unlawful activities.

As amended, LD 130 would allow the Secretary of State to reject applications for plates and to recall existing plates under a narrowly tailored set of guidelines. This includes plates that are profane or obscene; plates that connote genitalia or that relate to sexual acts; and plates that make a derogatory reference to protected classes under the Maine Human Rights Act, including age, race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry or national origin, religion, or physical or mental disability. License plates with slang terms, abbreviations, phonetic spellings or mirror images of words or terms that are prohibited are also not allowed. The amended bill also adds an appeals process for rejected applications or for recalled plates.

The law goes into effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns sine die.