Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

LAW WITHOUT
                                                                GOVERNOR'S               CHAPTER
                                                                SIGNATURE
                                                                                              612
                                                                APRIL 10, 2024          PUBLIC LAW
                                STATE OF MAINE
                                         _____
                           IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
                      TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR
                                         _____
                                H.P. 856 - L.D. 1342
   An Act to Increase Funding for the Prevention and Control of Invasive
                             Aquatic Species
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
   Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10206, sub-§3, ¶C, as amended by PL 2019, c. 264, §1, is
further amended to read:
   C. All revenues collected under the provisions of this Part relating to watercraft,
   including chapter 935, including fines, fees and other available money deposited with
   the Treasurer of State, must be distributed as undedicated revenue to the General Fund
   and the Department of Marine Resources according to a formula that is jointly agreed
   upon by the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Commissioner of
   Marine Resources biannually that pays to the department the administrative costs of
   the Division of Licensing and Registration. The Legislature shall appropriate to the
   department in each fiscal year an amount equal to the administrative costs incurred by
   the department in collecting revenue under this subsection. Those costs must be
   verified by the Department of Marine Resources and the Department of Administrative
   and Financial Services. The remainder of revenues after reduction for administrative
   costs and after allowing for any necessary year-end reconciliation and accounting
   distribution must be allocated 75% to the department and 25% to the Department of
   Marine Resources and approved by the Department of Administrative and Financial
   Services, Bureau of the Budget.
   Prior to January 1, 2020, the fees outlined in section 13056, subsection 8, paragraphs
   A and B for watercraft operating on inland waters of the State each include a $10 fee
   for invasive species prevention and control. Beginning January 1, 2020, the fees
   outlined in section 13056, subsection 8, paragraphs A and B for watercraft operating
   on inland waters of the State each include a $15 fee for invasive species prevention and
   control. Beginning January 1, 2025, the fees outlined in section 13056, subsection 8,
   paragraphs A and B for watercraft operating on inland waters of the State each include
   a $25 fee for invasive species prevention and control. Beginning January 1, 2028, the
   fees outlined in section 13056, subsection 8, paragraphs A and B for watercraft
   operating on inland waters of the State each include a $35 fee for invasive species
   prevention and control. This fee is disposed of as follows:
                                  Page 1 - 131LR0552(03)
       (1) Eighty percent Prior to January 1, 2025, 80% must be credited to the Invasive
       Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund. Beginning January 1, 2025, 70% must
       be credited to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund; and
       (2) Twenty percent Prior to January 1, 2025, 20% must be credited to the Lake
       and River Protection Fund established within the department under section 10257.
       Beginning January 1, 2025, 30% must be credited to the Lake and River Protection
       Fund.
   Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §13056, sub-§8, ¶A, as amended by PL 2019, c. 264, §3, is
further amended to read:
   A. For a watercraft requiring or whose owner requests a certificate of number and that
   is equipped with a motor having a manufacturer's horsepower rating of:
       (1) Ten horsepower or less, prior to January 1, 2020 the fee is $25 for operating
       on inland waters of the State and $15 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.
       Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee under this subparagraph is $30 for operating on
       inland waters of the State and $15 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.
       Beginning January 1, 2025, the fee under this subparagraph is $40 for operating on
       inland waters of the State and $15 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.
       Beginning January 1, 2028, the fee under this subparagraph is $50 for operating on
       inland waters of the State and $15 for operating only on tidal waters of the State;
       (2) Greater than 10 horsepower but not more than 50 horsepower, prior to January
       1, 2020 the fee is $30 for operating on inland waters of the State and $20 for
       operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee
       under this subparagraph is $35 for operating on inland waters of the State and $20
       for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2025, the fee
       under this subparagraph is $45 for operating on inland waters of the State and $20
       for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2028, the fee
       under this subparagraph is $55 for operating on inland waters of the State and $20
       for operating only on tidal waters of the State; and
       (3) Greater than 50 horsepower but not more than 115 horsepower, prior to January
       1, 2020 the fee is $36 for operating on inland waters of the State and $26 for
       operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee
       under this subparagraph is $41 for operating on inland waters of the State and $26
       for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2025, the fee
       under this subparagraph is $51 for operating on inland waters of the State and $26
       for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2028, the fee
       under this subparagraph is $61 for operating on inland waters of the State and $26
       for operating only on tidal waters of the State.
   Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §13056, sub-§8, ¶B, as amended by PL 2019, c. 264, §4, is
further amended to read:
   B. Prior to January 1, 2020, for a personal watercraft requiring or whose owner
   requests a certificate of number and watercraft equipped with a motor having a
   manufacturer's horsepower rating of greater than 115 horsepower or greater, the fee is
   $44 for operating on inland waters of the State and $34 for operating only on tidal
   waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee under this paragraph is $49 for
                                  Page 2 - 131LR0552(03)
    operating on inland waters of the State and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of
    the State. Beginning January 1, 2025, the fee under this paragraph is $59 for operating
    on inland waters of the State and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.
    Beginning January 1, 2028, the fee under this paragraph is $69 for operating on inland
    waters of the State and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.
    Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §13058, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2019, c. 264, §5, is further
amended to read:
     3. Nonresident motorboat and personal watercraft lake and river protection
sticker and resident and nonresident seaplane lake and river protection sticker; fee.
No later than January 1st of each year, the commissioner shall provide the agents authorized
to register watercraft or issue licenses with a sufficient quantity of lake and river protection
stickers for motorboats and personal watercraft not registered in the State and for all
seaplanes, whether or not registered in the State, for that boating season. The sticker must
be in 2 parts so that one part of the sticker can be affixed to each side of the bow of a
motorboat or personal watercraft or to each outside edge of a seaplane's pontoons. Prior to
January 1, 2020, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $20, $1 of which is
retained by the agent who sold the sticker. Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee for a sticker
issued under this subsection is $35, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the
sticker. Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is
$45, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker. Beginning January 1, 2025,
the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $60, $1 of which is retained by the agent
who sold the sticker. Beginning January 1, 2028, the fee for a sticker issued under this
subsection is $75, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker.
The remainder of the fee is disposed of as follows:
    A. Eighty percent Prior to January 1, 2025, 80% must be credited to the Invasive
    Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund. Beginning January 1, 2025, 70% must be
    credited to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund; and
    B. Twenty percent Prior to January 1, 2025, 20% must be credited to the Lake and
    River Protection Fund established within the department under section 10257.
    Beginning January 1, 2025, 30% must be credited to the Lake and River Protection
    Fund.
A motorboat, personal watercraft or seaplane owned by the Federal Government, a state
government or a municipality is exempt from the fee established in this subsection.
    Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF
Water Quality 0248
Initiative: Provides allocations for costs related to conducting inspections and invasive
aquatic plant prevention, for containment, eradication and management activities and to
contract with municipalities or other entities to conduct inspection, prevention or
eradication programs to protect the inland waters of the State from invasive aquatic plant
and nuisance species.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS                                          2023-24           2024-25
                                     Page 3 - 131LR0552(03)
  All Other                                                           $0           $628,342
                                                              __________        __________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL                                     $0           $628,342
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,
DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS                                                  2023-24          2024-25
  OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS                                         $0           $628,342
                                                              __________        __________
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS                                          $0           $628,342
INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE, DEPARTMENT OF
Enforcement Operations - Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 0537
Initiative: Provides allocations for enforcing laws pertaining to invasive aquatic plants and
nuisance species, for inspecting watercraft for invasive aquatic plant and nuisance species
materials and for educational and informational efforts targeted at invasive aquatic plant
and nuisance species prevention, eradication and management activities and the production
and distribution of lake and river protection stickers.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS                                      2023-24            2024-25
 All Other                                                            $0           $533,345
                                                              __________        __________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL                                     $0           $533,345
INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE,
DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS                                                  2023-24          2024-25
  OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS                                         $0           $533,345
                                                              __________        __________
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS                                          $0           $533,345
SECTION TOTALS                                                     2023-24          2024-25
  OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS                                         $0         $1,161,687
                                                              __________        __________
SECTION TOTAL - ALL FUNDS                                             $0         $1,161,687
                                   Page 4 - 131LR0552(03)
Statutes affected: 
Bill Text LD 1342, HP 856: 12.10206, 12.13056, 12.13058
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 612: 12.10206, 12.13056, 12.13058