‘Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §13062-B is enacted to read:
§ 13062-B. Maine Craft Brewers Marketing Promotion Fund
The Maine Craft Brewers Marketing Promotion Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established within the Office of Business Development to provide marketing grants to Maine-based brewers of malt liquor.
1. Eligibility. A brewer is eligible for applying for a grant from the fund if the brewer is licensed to and does manufacture malt liquor in this State.
2. Grants provided. The fund must provide competitive grants to brewers eligible under subsection 1. Grants must be awarded to brewers who agree to include the department's approved marketing insignia on all of their marketed products.
3. Rulemaking. The department shall adopt rules to implement this section including forms to be made available for brewers, formulas for calculating grant awards and a schedule for distribution of awards. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
4. Condition for continuation of grants. Grants from the fund may not be made after March 1, 2011 unless the commissioner certifies to the Legislature under Title 36, section 6762 that the total number of new qualified employees of qualified brewers statewide for which reimbursement was made under Title 36, chapter 917 for calendar year 2010 exceeds the number of full-time equivalent employees of qualified brewers statewide for calendar year 2007 by 10%.’
