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

§456-C.__Wabanaki registration plates

Beginning November 1, 2005, the Secretary of State shall issue Wabanaki registration plates pursuant to section 468 to members of federally recognized tribes in the State pursuant to this section.

1.__Wabanaki registration plates.__The Secretary of State, upon receiving an application and evidence of payment of the registration fee required by section 501, the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482, a statement signed by a tribal official from a federally recognized tribe within the Wabanaki Confederacy proving the applicant's membership in the tribe and the administration fee pursuant to subsection 2, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of Wabanaki registration plates to be used in lieu of regular registration plates.__These plates must bear identification numbers and letters and the word "Wabanaki."

2.__Administration fee.__An application for Wabanaki registration plates must be accompanied by an administrative fee of $20, which is credited by the Secretary of State 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 Wabanaki registration plates is $20, which is credited to the Specialty License Plate Fund established in section 469 for administrative and production costs.

SUMMARY

This bill authorizes the issuance of a special registration plate for motor vehicles for members of federally recognized tribes in Maine.