130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 268		LR 918(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 2021-22	FY 2022-23	Projections  FY 2023-24	Projections  FY 2024-25
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$39,554	$52,739	$52,739	$52,739
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$7,200	$9,600	$9,600	$9,600
Revenue
	General Fund		($32,354)	($43,139)	($43,139)	($43,139)
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill eliminates the $7 fee the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (ACF) charges for electronically issued burn permits via its 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. Elimination of the fee reduces annual General Fund revenue by $32,354 in fiscal year 2021-22 and $43,139 in fiscal year 2022-23, reduces revenue to municipalities by approximately $20,000 a year and reduces revenue available to pay InforME by $9,600. The bill includes ongoing General Fund appropriations to ACF of $7,200 in fiscal year 2021-22 and $9,600 in fiscal year 2022-23 to continue to pay InforME for burn permits issued through the state online system.  Municipalities may incur additional costs if a vendor or owner of a private party burn permit software system charges for use of its software.