An Act To Encourage the Promotion of Outdoor Recreational Activities
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §13090-K, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4. Outdoor recreation activities. A minimum of 25% of funds received by the Tourism Marketing Promotion Fund in accordance with subsection 2 must be used as provided for in this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, "outdoor natural resources-based recreational activities" means activities regulated under Title 12, Part 13 and "outdoor natural resources-based nonconsumptive uses" means noncommercial outdoor activities that are not regulated under Title 12, Part 13, including but not limited to hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, canoeing and wildlife watching. This subsection does not apply to commercial marine-based activities regulated under Title 12, Part 9.
A. Eighty-five percent of the funds identified in this subsection must be used to promote outdoor natural resources-based recreational activities in the State.
B. Fifteen percent of the funds identified in this subsection must be used to promote outdoor natural resources-based nonconsumptive uses in the State.
summary
This bill provides that 25% of the Tourism Marketing Promotion Fund within the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Tourism must be used for the promotion of noncommercial, outdoor natural resources-based activities. It requires that 85% of the 25% go to promote outdoor activities under the jurisdiction of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and that the remaining 15% go to promote outdoor nonconsumptive activities such as cross-country skiing, kayaking, hiking and wildlife watching.