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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2587 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2451
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Bruce E. Tarr
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to enhance the license plate system of the Commonwealth.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex 1 of 4
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2587 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2451
By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2451) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation
to authorize the Registry of Motor Vehicles to develop, design and implement a redesigned
registration plate system for motor vehicles. Transportation.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2377 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act to enhance the license plate system of the Commonwealth.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. The registrar is hereby authorized and directed, pursuant to the authority
2granted by section 2 of chapter 90 of the General Laws, to develop, design and implement a
3redesigned plate system for motor vehicles registered in the Commonwealth, provided further
4that such system shall be fully implemented not later than five years following the passage of this
5act. Said plate shall incorporate technology and design components and advances to increase the
6illumination and visual recognition of said plates. Said plates shall incorporate, but shall not be
7limited to, the following:
8 The utilization of commonly recognizable symbols, which are easily identifiable, with
9each symbol having a corresponding three character alpha-numeric reference, with no more than
10two characters identifying the symbol, and one character representing the location of the symbol 2 of 4
11on the plate, such that both the symbol and the references may be placed in a variety of locations
12on the plate, so as to the maximize the number of individual combinations which may be
13produced in conjunction with standard letters and numbers.
14 The utilization of existing and innovative technologies and componentry to aid in the
15identification of characters in conditions that result in poor-visibility, including during nighttime
16and inclement weather.
17 The reduction of the number of standard alpha-numeric characters currently utilized for
18such plates to no more than a total of four.
19 The utilization of specialized symbols either supplied by the registrar or developed by
20private charitable interests and approved by the registrar pursuant to the requirements of this act,
21provided that the use such symbol shall be conditioned on the payment of a fee in addition to that
22required for a vehicle registration pursuant to section 2 of chapter 90.
23 The accommodation of all currently issued distinctive and low-number plates, so-called,
24including plates authorized under sections 2 and 2E of chapter 90, as well as any additional
25distinctive license plates issued by the registrar pursuant to the requirements of section 2F of
26chapter 90.
27 There shall be hereby created and established a registration plate design and
28implementation board, hereinafter the board. The board shall consist of eight members, the
29Registrar of motor vehicles or his designee, who also shall be the chair, the Secretary of the
30Executive Office of Public Safety or his designee, the Colonel of the Department of State Police
31or his designee, the Executive Director of the Criminal System Histories Board or his designee,
32the Executive Director of the Municipal Police Training Committee or his designee, a 3 of 4
33representative of the Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau, a representative of the Massachusetts
34Chiefs of Police Association, and a representative of the Massachusetts Safety Officers
35Association. The board shall approve a design and establish protocols for the implementation of
36a redesigned plate system that provides for additional public safety through the simplification of
37plate design for the purposes of enhancing the recognition, recall and identification of plates. In
38addition, the board shall develop training protocols for utilization of the redesigned plate for
39public safety officers. The board shall report to the Joint Committee on Public Safety and
40Homeland Security regarding any issues relating the design or implementation of said plate
41system not later than six months of the passage of this act.
42 The registrar may, in carrying out the provisions of this Act, enter into one or more
43contracts for the design, development, implementation, maintenance or production of said plate
44system.
45 SECTION 2. There shall be hereby established and set up on the books of the
46Commonwealth a special fund to be known as the License Plate Symbol Revenue Fund,
47hereinafter called the fund, into which shall be deposited any funds granted by the issuance of
48specialized symbols created to the provisions of item 4, in section 1 of this act. The primary
49purpose of the fund shall be to make expenditures in order to facilitate the implementation of the
50license plate program developed pursuant to this act, and the secondary purpose of the fund shall
51be to distribute funds to specific charitable programs or purposes as specified for specialized
52symbols as authorized pursuant to the provisions of item 4 of section 1 of this act.
53 SECTION 3. In carrying out the provisions of this Act, the registrar shall consult with the
54American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and any other necessary agencies of the 4 of 4
55federal government, national or regional organizations, and any necessary state agencies to
56determine the feasibility, including costs and advantages and disadvantages, of developing and
57implementing the plate system prescribed by section 1 of this act. The registrar shall report the
58findings of said feasibility analysis to the Clerks of the House and Senate, the Joint Committee
59on Transportation and the Joint Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety not later
60than six months following the passage of this Act.
61 SECTION 4. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect ninety days following the filing
62of the feasibility analysis by the registrar as provided in section 3.