HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 857        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3285

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act Establishing a baby boomer license plate..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 90, Section 2 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition shall be amended by inserting after line 458 thereof the following section:

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 representing those people born between the years of 1946-1964, now known as the “baby boom generation.”  Such design shall be selected through a contest to be judged by no more than five people appointed by the Secretary of Elder Affairs. There shall be a fee of not less than thirty 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 a special fund in the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA).  Said funds shall be distributed to Councils on Aging established under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40, s.8B, for the purpose of promoting the health and well-being of seniors in the community.

There shall be established within the Executive Office of Elder Affairs a special fund into which amounts received from the sale of the Massachusetts baby boomer registration plate shall be deposited for the purpose of promoting the health and well-being of seniors in the community. Monies may be used for salary, operating expenses, direct services, staff and board training, volunteer development and recognition and numerous other activities. Allowable expenses shall include senior center/office rent, utilities and equipment, outreach, information and referral, transportation, health screening and counseling, pre-retirement, intergenerational, "Caring for Elders at Home" programs and other support activities, professional organization membership and attendance at conferences and workshops, among other costs.

The funds shall be distributed to Councils on Aging by EOEA in direct proportion to the number of plates registered within the jurisdictional territory of each Council on Aging.