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An Act To Increase Funding To Contain and Manage the Spread 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 2013, c. 580, §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.
 
ThePrior 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 an $18 fee for invasive species prevention and control. Beginning January 1, 2022, the fees outlined in section 13056, subsection 8, paragraphs A and B for watercraft operating on inland waters of the State each include a $20 fee for invasive species prevention and control. Beginning January 1, 2024, the fees outlined in section 13056, subsection 8, paragraphs A and B for watercraft operating on inland waters of the State each include a $22 fee for invasive species prevention and control. This fee is disposed of as follows:
 
(1) Eighty percent must be credited to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund; and
 
(2) Twenty percent must be credited to the Lake and River Protection Fund established within the department under section 10257.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §13056, sub-§8, ¶A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, §14, 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 for operating on inland waters of the State is $33 and $15 for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $35 and $15 for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $37 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 for operating on inland waters of the State is $38 and $20 for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $40 and $20 for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $42 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 for operating on inland waters of the State is $44 and $26 for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $46 and $26 for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $48 and $26 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §13056, sub-§8, ¶B, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, §15, is further amended to read:
 
B. ForPrior 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 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 for operating on inland waters of the State is $52 and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee under this paragraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $54 and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of the State. Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee under this paragraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $56 and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §13058, sub-§3, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 580, §3, is 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. ThePrior 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 $30, $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 $35, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker. Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $40, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker.
 
The remainder of the fee is disposed as follows:
 
A. Eighty percent must be credited to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund; and
 
B. Twenty percent must be credited to the Lake and River Protection Fund established within the department under section 10257.
 
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.
 
SUMMARY
This bill increases the fees for the lake and river protection stickers that are required for all resident and nonresident motorboats, personal watercraft and seaplanes operating on inland waters of the State as follows.
1. Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee for resident motorboats and personal watercraft is increased by $8 and the fee for nonresident motorboats, nonresident personal watercraft and seaplanes is increased by $10.
2. Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee for resident motorboats and personal watercraft is increased by an additional $2 and the fee for nonresident motorboats, nonresident personal watercraft and seaplanes is increased by an additional $5.
3. Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee for resident motorboats and personal watercraft is increased by an additional $2 and the fee for nonresident motorboats, nonresident personal watercraft and seaplanes is increased by an additional $5.
The fee revenues from the sale of lake and river protection stickers are used to support the efforts of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Environmental Protection in preventing, eradicating and managing invasive aquatic plants and nuisance species in the State.