Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §5012-A is enacted to read:

§5012-A.__Dedicated accounts for sales of merchandise and

acceptance of donations

The commissioner may create dedicated accounts in which to deposit money received from the sale of general merchandise products such as t-shirts, audio and video recordings, coffee mugs, tote bags and calendars.__Funds received by the commissioner from the sale of general merchandise products must be deposited in a dedicated account to be used only for the purpose of promoting and improving department programs.__The commissioner may also accept money, goods and services donated to the department to support specific programs carried out by the department.__Any money donated to the department in support of a specific program must be deposited into a dedicated account for the purpose of funding activities carried out by that program.

SUMMARY

This bill, modeled on a similar power vested in the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, allows the Commissioner of Conservation to create dedicated accounts for the deposit of money received from the sale of general merchandise products such as t-shirts, audio and video recordings, coffee mugs, tote bags and calendars. The dedicated accounts may also be used for the deposit of money donated to the Department of Conservation to support specific programs carried out by the department. The department may also accept donations of goods and services to support specific programs carried out by the department.