Rep. Arata 4/18 Update

Secretary of State Unveils New Design for Driver's Licenses and ID Cards

Maine’s Secretary of State is unveiling a new design for Maine driver's licenses and identification cards, which will be issued to all applicants upon their next renewal.  The new design features an outline of the State of Maine, with images of two official state symbols -- the white pine cone with tassel (State flower) and the black-capped chickadee (State bird).  The design also incorporates iconic images of Maine, including a potato field with a barn, lighthouse, sailboat, mountain, and sunrise.
 
Maine credentials have not been upgraded since the Bureau of Motor Vehicles adopted the moose and mountain design in 2010.  The new design includes a variety of overt, covert, and forensic elements that incorporate the most modern proprietary industry elements and card design standards.  These enhanced features make the process of creating false credentials more difficult while making it more obvious to those who interact with credentials to recognize elements that are incorrect.
 
All current driver licenses or identification cards will remain valid until their expiration date, and the new design will be phased in upon renewal, beginning this spring.  Visit here for a full listing of all Bureau of Motor Vehicles locations and information about the online license renewal service.


Maine Wildlife Park

Gray’s Maine Wildlife Park is now open.
 
The Park’s 2019 events calendar is packed with fun happenings for the whole family, so be sure to include visits to the Park in your spring, summer, and fall plans.
 
Visit the Maine Wildlife Park online for more information or to subscribe to receive Park updates.


Maine Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

Maine offers several student loan forgiveness programs that are specific to just the State of Maine.  However, residents of the State of Maine can also potentially qualify for various federal student loan forgiveness programs.​  You can find a great list of federal student loan forgiveness programs here.
 
If you have private student loans, it might make more sense to refinance your loans and see if you can get a lower interest rate and payment.  Credible for student loan refinancing is recommended because you can find out in two minutes or less if it is worth it.  Try out Credible here.  You can get a $200 bonus if you refinance your loans with Credible.
 
If you are not quite sure where to start or what to do, consider hiring a chartered financial analyst to help you with your student loans.  The Student Loan Planner can help you put together a solid financial plan for your student loan debt.  Check out The Student Loan Planner here.
 
For more specific details about Maine student loan forgiveness programs, click here.


Veterans Upward Bound Program
 
Veterans Upward Bound is designed to motivate and assist veterans in the development of academic and other requisite skills necessary for acceptance and success in a program of postsecondary education.  The program provides assessment and enhancement of basic skills through counseling, mentoring, tutoring, and academic instruction in the core subject areas.  The primary goal of the program is to increase the rate at which participants enroll in and complete postsecondary education programs.
 
Eligibility

Application Eligibility
 
Institutions of higher education, public and private agencies, and organizations, including community-based organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth, combinations of such institutions, agencies and organizations, and as appropriate to the purpose of the program, secondary schools.
 
Participant Eligibility
 
Participants must meet military service requirements stipulated in the authorizing statute and be low-income, prospective first-generation college students who are preparing to enter a postsecondary institution.  The program requires that at least two-thirds of the participants in a project be both low-income and first-generation.  The remaining participants must be:

• either low-income or first-generation military veterans who served in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for more than 180 days and received other than a dishonorable discharge;
• was discharged because of a service connected disability;
• was a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces called to active duty for a period of more than 30 days or was a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces who served on active duty in support of a contingency operation on or after September 11, 2001; and
• have a high risk for academic failure.

For more information, please click here.