129th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1788		LR 2340(02)
	An Act To Eliminate Online Burn Permit Fees for All Areas of the State
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
			FY 2019-20	FY 2020-21	Projections  FY 2021-22	Projections  FY 2022-23
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$0	$52,739	$52,739	$52,739
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$0	$9,600	$9,600	$9,600
Revenue
	General Fund		$0	($43,139)	($43,139)	($43,139)
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill would eliminate the $7 fee the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (ACF) charges for electronically issued burn permits via their online permit system. Currently, $4 is deposited into the General Fund, $2 is transferred to the municipality where the permit was issued and $1 goes to InforME for the administrative cost of the online permit system. In unorganized areas, $6 of the fee is deposited into the General Fund and $1 is for the administrative costs of InforME. Beginning in fiscal year 2020-21, elimination of the fee would reduce annual General Fund revenue by $43,139, reduce revenue to municipalities by approximately $20,000 a year and reduce revenue available to pay InforME by $9,600. The bill includes an ongoing General Fund appropriation to ACF of $9,600 beginning in fiscal year 2020-21 to continue to pay InforME for burn permits issued through the state online system.  Municipalities may incur additional costs if the vendor or owner of a private party burn permit software system chooses to impose fees for its use.