(a) The Administration shall issue a special Chesapeake Bay Commemorative Registration Plate.
(b) The owner of a vehicle, or a lessee of the vehicle under a lease not intended as security, or a director, officer, employee, or partner of a business entity that owns the vehicle considered eligible by the Administration may apply to the Administration for the assignment of a commemorative registration plate under this section if the vehicle is included in one of the following classes:
(1) A Class A (passenger) vehicle;
(2) A Class E (truck) vehicle with a manufacturer’s rated capacity of one ton or less;
(3) A Class G (trailer) vehicle; or
(4) A Class M (multipurpose) vehicle.
(c) (1) In addition to the annual registration fee otherwise required under this title, an owner of a vehicle assigned a commemorative registration plate under this section shall pay:
(i) An additional initial registration fee set by the Administration when the new registration plates are issued to the vehicle under this section; or
(ii) An additional renewal fee set by the Administration each time the plate is renewed.
(2) (i) The Administration shall set the additional initial registration fee at a level that will enable the Administration to recover its costs under this section.
(ii) The Administration may set the additional initial registration fee at a level that is sufficient to result in a surplus after costs are subtracted.
(iii) The Administration shall retain a portion of the additional initial registration fee that is sufficient to allow the Administration to recover any costs of issuing and distributing commemorative plates under this section.
(iv) Any surplus moneys remaining after the Administration has recovered the costs of issuing a commemorative plate under this section and moneys collected for additional renewal fees may not be retained by or transferred to any agency of the State for any purpose.
(v) Notwithstanding subparagraph (iv) of this paragraph, the surplus moneys and moneys collected for additional renewal fees shall be disbursed by the Administration to the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
(3) No portion of the additional initial registration or renewal fees may be credited to the Gasoline and Motor Vehicle Revenue Account for distribution under § 8–403 or § 8–404 of this article.
(d) (1) The Administration shall adopt regulations not inconsistent with the Maryland Vehicle Law to govern the issuance of special registration plates under this section, including regulations detailing the plan of distribution of the funds.
(2) The Administration shall consult with the Chesapeake Bay Trust to establish a schedule under which the Administration will transfer to the Trust revenue collected on behalf of the Trust under this section.
(e) The additional fees to the annual registration fee required by this section are not required for special registration of a vehicle that is exempt under § 13–903 of this title.
(f) (1) A commemorative registration plate issued under this section shall display:
(i) A special registration number assigned by the Administration that may consist of any combination of:
1. Letters; and
2. Numerals; and
(ii) A design approved by the Administration that adequately reflects the Chesapeake Bay theme that the plate commemorates.
(2) The Administration shall consult with the Chesapeake Bay Trust with respect to the design of the Chesapeake Bay Commemorative Registration Plate.