131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 614		LR 1280(02)
	An Act to Provide a Free Antlerless Deer Permit to Certain Landowners Who Allow the Public to Hunt on Their Property
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
			FY 2023-24	FY 2024-25	Projections  FY 2025-26	Projections  FY 2026-27
Appropriations/Allocations
	Other Special Revenue Funds		$0	$71,628	$71,628	$71,628
Revenue
	Other Special Revenue Funds		$0	$71,628	$71,628	$71,628
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	Under current law agents who collect the $5 deer registration fee when a harvested deer is registered remit $3 to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIFW) and retain $2. Instead, this bill will require the total amount of the registration fee to be remitted to DIFW with the $2 deposited in the Deer Management Fund (DMF).  Using an estimated 35,814 registrations, which is the average number of harvested deer from 2018 through 2023, the additional $2 will generate $71,628 annually beginning in fiscal year 2024-25.  The bill includes a corresponding allocation to allow for the expenditure of additional revenue.
	This bill also removes a ratio for types of expenditures from the DMF and adds new allowable uses of the fund.  The bill also directs DIFW to incorporate a check-off box to the online licensing system to allow donations for assisting with deer conflict prevention and management which will increase Other Special Revenue Funds revenue.