128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 243 LR 2223(02)
An Act To Change the Oversight Agency for Recreational Marijuana from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations and To Allocate Funds for Implementation
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
Committee: Marijuana Legalization Implementation
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
FY 2016-17 FY 2017-18 FY 2018-19 Projections  FY 2019-20 Projections  FY 2020-21
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $1,600,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
Appropriations/Allocations
General Fund $200,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
Other Special Revenue Funds $1,400,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
Transfers
General Fund ($1,400,000) $0 $0 $0 $0
Other Special Revenue Funds $1,400,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
Fiscal Detail and Notes
This bill establishes the Retail Marijuana Regulatory Coordination Fund within the Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS). It  provides for a $1,400,000 transfer from the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund in fiscal year 2016-17 to the fund and includes an Other Special Revenue Funds allocation of $1,400,000 in fiscal year 2016-17 for use by the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations (BABLO) within DAFS and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) to conduct rulemaking, enter into contracts with consultants, hire staff and implement other activities of this bill. The BABLO is assigned as the state licensing authority to regulate and control the licensing of the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing and sale of retail marijuana and the licensure of retail marijuana social clubs. The bill retains the DACF as the state regulatory authority regarding marijuana cultivation, marijuana seeds, clones, seedlings, plants, use of pesticides, harvesting, storage, preparation, manufacturing, production, labeling and testing of retail marijuana. 
The bill also includes a one-time General Fund appropriation of $200,000 in 2016-17 to the Legislature to provide resources for the Joint Select Committee on Marijuana Legalization Implementation for the costs of consultant services and necessary travel and expenses and any other purposes determined to be appropriate to assist the committee in the performance of its duties.
Both BABLO and DACF have indicated that additional positions are required to implement the provisions of the bill.  Additional appropriations or allocations may be required in the intermediary period between this bill and the full program implementation of marijuana legalization.