132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 173 LR 502(02)
An Act to Exempt Certain Watercraft from Registration Requirements
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27 Projections  FY 2027-28 Projections  FY 2028-29
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $82,822 $82,822 $91,104 $99,386
Appropriations/Allocations
Other Special Revenue Funds ($238,257) ($238,257) ($262,083) ($285,908)
Revenue
General Fund ($82,822) ($82,822) ($91,104) ($99,386)
Other Special Revenue Funds ($238,257) ($238,257) ($262,083) ($285,908)
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The fee changes proposed in this bill are expected to reduce General Fund revenue to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW) and the Department of Marine Resources (DMR), as well as reduce Other Special Revenue Funds (OSR) revenue to both IFW and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Detailed impacts are outlined below:
Registration Revenue  Lake and River Sticker Revenue 
IFW  General Fund   $     (62,117) IFW  OSR  $     (71,477)
DMR  General Fund   $     (20,705) DEP  OSR  $   (166,780)
 $     (82,822)  $   (238,257)
The estimated revenue reductions are based on current registration data and assume that approximately 11,913 inland and 2,269 tidal registrations that are currently registered as 10 hp or below would qualify under the 5 hp or below category created in the bill. Statutorily required fee increases in fiscal year 2028-29 and distribution formulas for the Lake and River Protection Sticker program remain unchanged. The bill includes accompanying Other Special Revenue Fund deallocations to reflect the reduction in anticipated revenues.