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

§456-A.__Education registration plates

Subject to the requirements of section 468, the Secretary of State shall issue education registration plates beginning November 1, 2001 in accordance with this section.__Education plates are not required for registration of motor vehicles but are to allow citizens to participate voluntarily to fund programs within the Department of Education.

1.__Education registration plates.__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 contribution provided for in subsection 2, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of education registration plates to be used in lieu of regular registration plates.__The Secretary of State in consultation with the Maine Education Association shall determine the plate design.__These plates must bear identification numbers and letters.

2.__Administrative fee and contribution to the Education Fund.__ A person may contribute to the Education Fund by applying for the special 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 Education Fund established in subsection 4; 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 education registration plates is $15, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as follows:

A.__Fourteen dollars to the Education Fund established in subsection 4; and

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