An Act To Ensure That the Money Received from the Surcharge on Registration of Pet Food Is Used for the Sterilization of Animals
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0223
Committee Amendment CA_A_S68 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" 4 " 
to S.P. 73, L.D. 223, Bill, "An Act To Ensure 
That the Money Received from the Surcharge on Registration of Pet Food Is Used for the 
Sterilization of Animals" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Ensure That Money from the Surcharge on Registration of Pet Food for 
the Sterilization of Animals is Received in a Timely Manner' 
Amend the bill by striking out the emergency preamble (page 1, lines 1 to 16 in L.D.) 
and inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, Public Law 2005, chapter 281 imposed a surcharge of $20 on registered 
pet food; and 
Whereas, funds must be available to the Companion Animal Sterilization Fund 
early in the calendar year so that animals may be spayed or neutered in a timely manner; 
and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,' 
Amend the bill in section I by striking out all of subsection 4 (page 1, lines 20 to 27 
in LD.) and inserting in its place the following: 
'4. Surcharge on registration of pet food. For each product name of pet food 
registered in accordance with subsection 1, the applicant shall pay a $20 surcharge in 
addition to the registration fee, except that a home-based manufacturer of pet food shall 
pay a total annual surcharge of $20. 
The commissioner shall deposit the surcharge 
directly into the Animal Welfare Fund established under section 3906 B. subsection 2 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A 
"10 S.P. 73, L.D. 223 
Companion Animal Sterilization Fund established under section 3910-B as it is received 
until the total of the surcharges received for that registration year equals $100,000. 
The commissioner shall deposit all surcharges received for a registration year in excess of 
$100,000 into the Animal Welfare Fund established under section 3906-B, subsection 2.' 
Amend the bill in section 2 in the 4th and 5th lines (page 1, lines 33 and 34 in L.D.) 
by striking out the following: "and all revenue from the surcharge collected under section 
714, subsection 4" and inserting the following: 'and aU revenue in excess of $1 00,000 
from the surcharge collected under section 714, subsection 4' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 1 in the 5th and 6th lines (page 2, lines 11 
and 12 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "section 714, subsection 4 and section 
3933, subsection 4, money transferred from the Animal 'tlelfare Fund in accordance \vith 
section 3906 B, subsection 2" and inserting the following: 'section 3933, subsection 4, 
money transferred from the An imal Welfare Fund in accordance with section 3906 B, 
subsection 2 revenue received from surcharges in accordance with section 714, 
subsection 4' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment specifies that the first $100,000 in surcharges received by the 
Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources for the registration of pet food is 
deposited in the Companion Animal Sterilization Fund. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: 04/06/09 :?da'c::.. 
LD223 
LR 423(02) 
An Act To Ensure That the Money Received from the Surcharge on Registration of Pet Food Is Used 
for the Sterilization of Animals 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment" A" 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
No net fiscal impact 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This legislation eliminates the annual $100,000 transfer from the Animal Welfare Fund to the Companion Animal 
Sterilization Fund. Instead, it specifies that pet food surcharges are deposited into the Companion Animal 
Sterilization Fund until the amount in any year equals $100,000, at which point the surcharges are deposited into the 
Animal Welfare Fund. 
LR0423(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1 
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