An Act To Increase Funding To Contain and Manage the Spread of Invasive Aquatic Species
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0235
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: RISEMAN, MIRAMANT, ACKLEY, FAY, PEBWORTH, PLUECKER, SYLVESTER, CARSON
Amends: 12 MRSA §10206, 12 MRSA §13056, 12 MRSA §13058

Legislative Document
No. 235
H.P. 198
House of Representatives, January 22, 2019
An Act To Increase Funding To Contain and Manage the Spread of 
Invasive Aquatic Species
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RISEMAN of Harrison.
Cosponsored by Senator MIRAMANT of Knox and
Representatives: ACKLEY of Monmouth, FAY of Raymond, PEBWORTH of Blue Hill, 
PLUECKER of Warren, SYLVESTER of Portland, Senator: CARSON of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10206, sub-§3, ¶C, as amended by PL 2013, c. 580, §1, is 
further amended to read:
C.  All revenues collected under the provisions of this Part relating to watercraft, 
including chapter 935, including fines, fees and other available money deposited with 
the Treasurer of State, must be distributed as undedicated revenue to the General 
Fund and the Department of Marine Resources according to a formula that is jointly 
agreed upon by the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the 
Commissioner of Marine Resources biannually that pays to the department the 
administrative costs of the Division of Licensing and Registration.  The Legislature 
shall appropriate to the department in each fiscal year an amount equal to the 
administrative costs incurred by the department in collecting revenue under this 
subsection.  Those costs must be verified by the Department of Marine Resources and 
the Department of Administrative and Financial Services.  The remainder of revenues 
after reduction for administrative costs and after allowing for any necessary year-end 
reconciliation and accounting distribution must be allocated 75% to the department 
and 25% to the Department of Marine Resources and approved by the Department of 
Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of the Budget.
The Prior to January 1, 2020, the fees outlined in section 13056, subsection 8, 
paragraphs A and B for watercraft operating on inland waters of the State each 
include a $10 fee for invasive species prevention and control.  Beginning January 1, 
2020, the fees outlined in section 13056, subsection 8, paragraphs A and B for 
watercraft operating on inland waters of the State each include an $18 fee for 
invasive species prevention and control.  Beginning January 1, 2022, the fees outlined 
in section 13056, subsection 8, paragraphs A and B for watercraft operating on inland 
waters of the State each include a $20 fee for invasive species prevention and control.  
Beginning January 1, 2024, the fees outlined in section 13056, subsection 8, 
paragraphs A and B for watercraft operating on inland waters of the State each 
include a $22 fee for invasive species prevention and control.  This fee is disposed of 
as follows:
(1)  Eighty percent must be credited to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance 
Species Fund; and
(2)  Twenty percent must be credited to the Lake and River Protection Fund 
established within the department under section 10257.
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §13056, sub-§8, ¶A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, 
§14, is further amended to read:
A.  For a watercraft requiring or whose owner requests a certificate of number and 
that is equipped with a motor having a manufacturer's horsepower rating of:
(1)  Ten horsepower or less, prior to January 1, 2020 the fee is $25 for operating 
on inland waters of the State and $15 for operating only on tidal waters of the 
State.  Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee under this subparagraph for operating 
on inland waters of the State is $33 and $15 for operating only on tidal waters of 
the State.  Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee under this subparagraph for 
operating on inland waters of the State is $35 and $15 for operating only on tidal 
waters of the State.  Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee under this subparagraph 
for operating on inland waters of the State is $37 and $15 for operating only on 
tidal waters of the State;
(2)  Greater than 10, horsepower but not more than 50 horsepower, prior to 
January 1, 2020 the fee is $30 for operating on inland waters of the State and $20 
for operating only on tidal waters of the State.  Beginning January 1, 2020, the 
fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $38 and 
$20 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.  Beginning January 1, 2022, 
the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $40 
and $20 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.  Beginning January 1, 
2024, the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State 
is $42 and $20 for operating only on tidal waters of the State; and
(3)  Greater than 50 horsepower but not more than 115 horsepower, prior to 
January 1, 2020 the fee is $36 for operating on inland waters of the State and $26 
for operating only on tidal waters of the State.  Beginning January 1, 2020, the 
fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $44 and 
$26 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.  Beginning January 1, 2022, 
the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State is $46 
and $26 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.  Beginning January 1, 
2024, the fee under this subparagraph for operating on inland waters of the State 
is $48 and $26 for operating only on tidal waters of the State.
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §13056, sub-§8, ¶B, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, 
§15, is further amended to read:
B.  For Prior to January 1, 2020, for a personal watercraft requiring or whose owner 
requests a certificate of number and watercraft equipped with a motor having a 
manufacturer's horsepower rating of 115 horsepower or greater, the fee is $44 for 
operating on inland waters of the State and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of 
the State.  Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee under this paragraph for operating on 
inland waters of the State is $52 and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of the 
State.  Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee under this paragraph for operating on 
inland waters of the State is $54 and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of the 
State.  Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee under this paragraph for operating on 
inland waters of the State is $56 and $34 for operating only on tidal waters of the 
State.
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §13058, sub-§3, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 580, 
§3, is amended to read:
3.  Nonresident motorboat and personal watercraft lake and river protection 
sticker and resident and nonresident seaplane lake and river protection sticker; fee.  
No later than January 1st of each year, the commissioner shall provide the agents 
authorized to register watercraft or issue licenses with a sufficient quantity of lake and 
river protection stickers for motorboats and personal watercraft not registered in the State 
and for all seaplanes, whether or not registered in the State, for that boating season.  The 
sticker must be in 2 parts so that one part of the sticker can be affixed to each side of the 
bow of a motorboat or personal watercraft or to each outside edge of a seaplane's 
pontoons.  The Prior to January 1, 2020, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection 
is $20, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker.  Beginning January 1, 
2020, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $30, $1 of which is retained by 
the agent who sold the sticker.  Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee for a sticker issued 
under this subsection is $35, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker.  
Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $40, $1 of 
which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker.
The remainder of the fee is disposed as follows:
A.  Eighty percent must be credited to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance 
Species Fund; and
B.  Twenty percent must be credited to the Lake and River Protection Fund 
established within the department under section 10257.
A motorboat, personal watercraft or seaplane owned by the Federal Government, a state 
government or a municipality is exempt from the fee established in this subsection.
SUMMARY
This bill increases the fees for the lake and river protection stickers that are required 
for all resident and nonresident motorboats, personal watercraft and seaplanes operating 
on inland waters of the State as follows.
1.  Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee for resident motorboats and personal 
watercraft is increased by $8 and the fee for nonresident motorboats, nonresident personal 
watercraft and seaplanes is increased by $10.
2.  Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee for resident motorboats and personal 
watercraft is increased by an additional $2 and the fee for nonresident motorboats, 
nonresident personal watercraft and seaplanes is increased by an additional $5.
3.  Beginning January 1, 2024, the fee for resident motorboats and personal 
watercraft is increased by an additional $2 and the fee for nonresident motorboats, 
nonresident personal watercraft and seaplanes is increased by an additional $5.
The fee revenues from the sale of lake and river protection stickers are used to 
support the efforts of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department 
of Environmental Protection in preventing, eradicating and managing invasive aquatic 
plants and nuisance species in the State.