A former state employee who is receiving retirement benefits after at least 15 years of employment with the Maine State Ferry Service and who is a year-round resident of one of the served islands of the Maine State Ferry Service is eligible to receive a lifetime ferry pass and a waiver from any reservation fees if the lifetime ferry pass is presented when making the reservation. For the purposes of this section, "lifetime ferry pass" means a nontransferable pass that provides on a ferry operated by the Maine State Ferry Service:
1. Walk-on passage. Unlimited walk-on passage for a passenger to and from the island on which the retiree resides; and
2. Passenger and vehicle passage. One round-trip passage per month for a passenger and that passenger's vehicle during peak season as determined by rules adopted by the Department of Transportation and 2 round-trip passages per month during off-peak season as determined by rules adopted by the department. A reservation for passage described in this subsection must follow rules adopted by the department. For the purposes of this subsection, "vehicle" means a noncommercial motor vehicle with 4 tires or fewer and an overall length of 20 feet or less. Revisor's Note: §4408. Overnight docking of ferries; legislative approval (As enacted by PL 2025, c. 282, §1 is REALLOCATED TO TITLE 23, SECTION 4409)