(a) On and after January 1, 2020, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall issue Save Our Lakes commemorative number plates of a design to enhance public awareness of the state's effort to preserve and protect the state's lakes and ponds from aquatic invasive species and cyanobacteria blooms. Said design shall be determined by agreement between the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. No use shall be made of such plates except as official registration marker plates.

(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall establish, by regulations adopted in accordance with chapter 54, a fee to be charged for Save Our Lakes commemorative number plates in addition to the regular fee or fees prescribed for the registration of a motor vehicle. The fee shall be for such number plates with letters and numbers selected by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may establish a higher fee for: (1) Such number plates which contain letters in place of numbers as authorized by section 14-49, in addition to the fee or fees prescribed for plates issued under said section; and (2) such number plates which are low number plates, in accordance with section 14-160, in addition to the fee or fees prescribed for plates issued under said section. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall establish, by regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, an additional voluntary lakes and ponds preservation donation, which shall be deposited in the Connecticut Lakes and Ponds Preservation account established under section 14-21aa. All fees established and collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in said account.

(c) Except as provided by subsection (d) of this section, no additional renewal fee shall be charged for renewal of registration for any motor vehicle bearing Save Our Lakes commemorative number plates which contain letters in place of numbers, or low number plates, in excess of the renewal fee for Save Our Lakes commemorative number plates with letters and numbers selected by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. No transfer fee shall be charged for transfer of an existing registration to or from a registration with Save Our Lakes commemorative number plates.

(d) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may request an additional voluntary donation of fifteen dollars at the time of registration renewal for any motor vehicle bearing a Save Our Lakes commemorative number plate. Five dollars of the donation may be dedicated to the administrative costs of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Ten dollars of such donation shall be deposited in the Connecticut Lakes and Ponds Preservation account established under section 14-21aa. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to establish standards and procedures for the issuance, renewal and replacement of Save Our Lakes commemorative number plates.

(P.A. 18-101, S. 1.)