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An Act To Fix Maine's Roads and Bridges by Establishing a Seasonal Gasoline Tax Adjustment
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §2903, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 240, §24, is further amended to read:
 
1. Excise tax imposed.   Beginning July 1, 2008 and ending June 30, 2009, an excise tax is imposed on internal combustion engine fuel used or sold in this State, including sales to the State or a political subdivision of the State, at the rate of 28.4¢ per gallon, except that the rate is 3.4¢ per gallon on internal combustion engine fuel bought or used for the purpose of propelling jet or turbojet engine aircraft. Beginning July 1, 2009 and ending October 31, 2019, an excise tax is imposed on internal combustion engine fuel used or sold in this State, including sales to the State or a political subdivision of the State, at the rate of 29.5¢ per gallon, except that the rate is 3.4¢ per gallon on internal combustion engine fuel bought or used for the purpose of propelling jet engine aircraft. The tax rate provided by this subsection except the rate of tax imposed on fuel bought or used for the purpose of propelling jet engine aircraft is subject to an annual inflation adjustment pursuant to section 3321. Any fuel containing at least 10% internal combustion engine fuel is subject to the tax imposed by this section.
Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §2903, sub-§1-C, as amended by PL 2009, c. 434, §38, is repealed.
Sec. 3.  36 MRSA §2903, sub-§1-D  is enacted to read:
 
1-D.  Seasonal excise tax imposed.     Beginning November 1, 2019, an excise tax is imposed on internal combustion engine fuel used or sold in this State, including sales to the State or a political subdivision of the State, at the rate of:
 
A.  From November 1st to May 31st annually, 27¢ per gallon; and
 
B.  From June 1st to October 31st annually, 37¢ per gallon.
 
Notwithstanding paragraphs A and B, for internal combustion engine fuel bought or used for the purpose of propelling jet engine aircraft, the rate is 3.4¢ per gallon.
 
Any fuel containing at least 10% internal combustion engine fuel is subject to the tax imposed by this section.
Sec. 4. 36 MRSA §2903, sub-§6, as reallocated by RR 2007, c. 2, §21, is amended to read:
 
6. Deposit to trust fund.   Beginning July 1, 2009 the Treasurer of State shall deposit monthly into the TransCap Trust Fund established in Title 30-A, section 6006-G 7.5% of the excise tax after the distribution of taxes pursuant to section 2903-D imposed under subsectionsubsections 1 and 1-D.
 
SUMMARY
This bill adjusts the tax imposed on gasoline on a seasonal basis, so that the tax is 27¢ per gallon from November 1st to May 31st and 37¢ per gallon from June 1st to October 31st annually. The current tax rate on gasoline is 30¢ per gallon. This bill also repeals the requirement that an inventory tax be paid on gasoline on hand whenever there is an increase in the tax.