Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §456-A is enacted to read:

§456-A.__Lobster registration plates

Subject to the requirements of section 468, the Secretary of State shall issue lobster registration plates beginning November 1, 2001 in accordance with this section.__Lobster plates are not required for registration of motor vehicles but are to allow citizens to contribute voluntarily to the Lobster Fund within the Department of Marine Resources.

1.__Lobster registration plates; design.__The Secretary of State, upon receiving an application and evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482, the registration fee required by section 501 and the administrative fee and voluntary contribution provided for in subsection 2, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of lobster registration plates to be used in lieu of regular registration plates.__The Secretary of State in consultation with the Lobster Promotion Council shall determine the plate design.__The number of characters appearing on the lobster registration plate may not exceed 5.

2.__Administrative fee and contribution to the Lobster Fund.__ A person may contribute to the Lobster Fund by applying for the lobster registration plates and submitting, in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee, a sum of $20 credited as follows:

A.__Fourteen dollars to the Lobster Fund established in Title 12, section 6451; and

B.__Six dollars to the Specialty License Plate Fund as established in section 469 for administrative and production costs.

3.__Renewal fee.__In addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee prescribed by law, the annual renewal contribution for lobster registration plates is $15, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as follows:

A.__Fourteen dollars to the Lobster Fund established in Title 12, section 6451; and

B.__One dollar to the Specialty License Plate Fund established in section 469 for administrative and production costs.