2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XIV - Public Ways and Works › Chapter 90 - Motor Vehicles and Aircraft › Section 2e - Distinctive Registration Plates; Environmental Trust Fund; Child Care Quality Fund; 9/11 Victims and Military Heroes Funds; Boston Marathon Tragedy Funds

Section 2E. (a) The registrar shall furnish, upon application, to the owners of private passenger motor vehicles three distinctive registration plates, one of which shall be on the theme of the right whale, one of which shall be on the theme of the Blackstone Valley of the central part of the commonwealth, and the other on a theme representative of the environmental and natural resources of the western part of the commonwealth; provided, however, that the design of the plate themes shall be determined by the trustees of the Environmental Trust Fund, established by section seven of chapter two hundred and thirty-six of the acts of nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, in consultation with and subject to the approval of said registrar and, in the case of the Blackstone Valley plate, in consultation with the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission. There shall be a fee of not less than twenty dollars for such plates in addition to the established registration fee for private passenger motor vehicles, such fee being payable at the time of registration of such vehicle and at each renewal thereof. The portion of the total fee remaining after the deduction of costs directly attributable to the issuance of such plates shall be deposited in said Environmental Trust Fund.
(b) The registrar shall furnish, upon application, to the owners of private passenger motor vehicles distinctive registration plates which shall display on their face a design indicating support for the children of the commonwealth and the words "Invest in Children''. There shall be a fee of not less than twenty dollars for such plates in addition to the established registration fee for private passenger motor vehicles, such fee being payable at the time of registration of such vehicle and at each renewal thereof. The portion of the total fee remaining after the deduction of costs directly attributable to the issuance of such plates shall be deposited within ninety days of receipt thereof in the Child Care Quality Fund established by section 2GG of chapter twenty-nine.
[ Subsection (c) effective until July 1, 2023. For text effective July 1, 2023, see below.]
(c) The registrar shall furnish, upon application, to the owners of private passenger motor vehicles distinctive registration plates which shall display on their face a design with the image of the American flag and the words "United We Stand'' to commemorate the victims and heroes of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack and the Massachusetts Military heroes from United States military Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Noble Eagle. There shall be a fee of not less than $40 for such plates in addition to the established registration fee for private passenger motor vehicles, which shall be payable at the time of registration of such vehicle and at each renewal thereof. The portion of the total fee remaining after the deduction of the costs directly attributable to the issuance of such plates shall be deposited in a registry retained revenue account and of the remaining portion of such fee, 50 per cent shall be directed to the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, Inc. and distributed by such fund at its discretion for the benefit of the relatives of the Massachusetts victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on America; 25 per cent shall be directed to the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund, Inc. and distributed by such fund at its discretion for the benefit of the families of military service personnel from Massachusetts killed while in service to the United States as a result of, or in support of, Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom or Noble Eagle; and 25 per cent shall be deposited in the Commonwealth Security Trust Fund established in section 67 of chapter 10. In the event the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, Inc. has met its obligations to design, construct and maintain a memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on America, any funds not necessary for the continued maintenance of the memorial shall be made available to the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, Inc. and distributed by such fund at its discretion for the benefit of the relatives of the Massachusetts victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on America.
[ Subsection (c) as amended by 2023, 28, Secs. 38 and 39 effective July 1, 2023. See 2023, 28, Sec. 115. For text effective until July 1, 2023, see above.]
(c) The registrar shall furnish, upon application, to the owners of private passenger motor vehicles distinctive registration plates which shall display on their face a design with the image of the American flag and the words "United We Stand'' to commemorate the victims and heroes of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack and the Massachusetts families of military service personnel who have died on, or as a result of, post September 11, 2001 military operations. There shall be a fee of not less than $40 for such plates in addition to the established registration fee for private passenger motor vehicles, which shall be payable at the time of registration of such vehicle and at each renewal thereof. The portion of the total fee remaining after the deduction of the costs directly attributable to the issuance of such plates shall be deposited in a registry retained revenue account and of the remaining portion of such fee, 50 per cent shall be directed to the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, Inc. and distributed by such fund at its discretion for the benefit of the relatives of the Massachusetts victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on America; 25 per cent shall be directed to Home Base, distributed by such fund at its discretion for the benefit of Massachusetts families of military service personnel who died on, or as a result of, post September 11, 2001 military operations; and 25 per cent shall be deposited in the Commonwealth Security Trust Fund established in section 67 of chapter 10. In the event the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, Inc. has met its obligations to design, construct and maintain a memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on America, any funds not necessary for the continued maintenance of the memorial shall be made available to the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, Inc. and distributed by such fund at its discretion for the benefit of the relatives of the Massachusetts victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on America.
(d) The registrar shall furnish, upon application, to the owners of private passenger motor vehicles distinctive registration plates which shall display on their face a design memorializing the tragic events that occurred at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013 and the words "Boston Strong''. There shall be a fee of not less than $50 for such plates in addition to the established registration fee for private passenger motor vehicles, which shall be payable at the time of registration of the vehicle and at each renewal thereof. The portion of the total fee remaining after the deduction of costs directly attributable to the issuance of such plates shall be directed to the One Fund Boston, Inc. and distributed by the One Fund Boston, Inc. at its discretion. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the One Fund Boston, Inc., the registrar may (i) cease to furnish the registration plates authorized in this subsection or (ii) direct the portion of the total fee remaining after the deduction of costs directly attributable to the issuance of the plates to a fund or an organization exempt from taxation under the provisions of section 501 (C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code for costs related to the design, construction or maintenance of a memorial for the victims of the tragic events that occurred at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013.