128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 182		LR 412(09)
	An Act To Protect Firefighters by Establishing a Prohibition on the Sale and Distribution of New Upholstered Furniture Containing Certain Flame-retardant Chemicals
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Engrossed with: C "A" (H-215) S "B" (S-338) to C "A" (H-215)
	Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Fiscal Note
			FY 2017-18	FY 2018-19	Projections  FY 2019-20	Projections  FY 2020-21
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$0	$0	$66,896	$68,125
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$101,717	$65,909	$66,896	$68,125
Transfers
	General Fund		$101,717	$65,909	$0	$0
	Other Special Revenue Funds		($101,717)	($65,909)	$0	$0
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill directs the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to adopt rules to implement a prohibition on the sale of furniture containing flame retardant chemicals. In order to effectively implement these rules, the DEP has indicated it will need to develop a product labeling and registration program for manufacturers and a product sampling and testing program for certification. The DEP estimates that 25 products at a cost of $12,500 will be purchased annually for product sampling. The laboratory testing for the product sampling is projected to have an annual cost of $12,500. This bill includes annual General Fund appropriations of $25,900 starting in fiscal year 2017-18 for product purchase, testing and technology costs.
	This bill also includes General Fund appropriations of $75,817 in fiscal year 2017-18 to the DEP for one full-time Environmental Specialist III position to develop and initiate the prohibition program and to coordinate the purchase and laboratory testing of furniture products. In fiscal year 2018-19 the position is reduced to a part-time Environmental Specialist III position at $40,009 to coordinate the continued laboratory testing of furniture products.
	The bill reimburses the General Fund appropriations in the bill in the first two years of the biennium only by transfers of $101,717 by June 30, 2018 and $65,909 by June 30, 2019 from the Medical Use of Marijuana Fund in the Department of Health and Human Services to the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund. The ongoing General Fund costs after the first two years will not be reimbursed by any transfers.