128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 88		LR 1572(02)
	An Act To Delay the Implementation of Certain Portions of the Marijuana Legalization Act
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Delayed Impact
			FY 2017-18	FY 2018-19	Projections  FY 2019-20	Projections  FY 2020-21
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$490,000	$0	$0	$0
Revenue
	General Fund		($490,000)	$0	$0	$0
	Other Special Revenue Funds		($10,000)	$0	$0	$0
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill delays the effective date of retail sales of recreational marijuana to February 1, 2018. This delay would reduce revenue from the tax on marijuana sales, reducing General Fund revenue and Local Government Fund revenue by an estimated $490,000 and $10,000, respectively, in fiscal year 2017-18.
	The state licensing authority, still the Department of  Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (ACF), can delay expenditures of approximately $132,633 in fiscal year 2017-18 and $2,379,534 in fiscal year 2018-19 for 3 permanent positions in fiscal year 2017-18 and an additional 15 permanent positions (18 total) in fiscal year 2018-19, related costs and certain one-time costs to regulate and control the licensing of the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing and sale of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products. As these amounts have not yet been appropriated to ACF, no deappropriations are required for the delay in this bill. Additional legislation will still be required to fund the licensing and enforcement functions of implementing the legalization of marijuana.
	The bill also allows ACF to delegate rulemaking authority to the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services or the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, or both, if there is a determination that the expertise and resources of those departments would benefit the rules and the enforcement of the Marijuana Legalization Act.
	Establishing civil violations for persons 18, 19 and 20 years of age who possess marijuana may increase fine revenue by amounts that are not expected to be significant.