An Act Regarding the Timeliness of Payments to the State (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1697
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: MARTIN, CLAXTON, EVANGELOS, KINNEY, RISEMAN
Amends: 5 MRSA §131

Legislative Document
No. 1697
H.P. 1212
House of Representatives, May 7, 2019
An Act Regarding the Timeliness of Payments to the State
(AFTER DEADLINE)
Submitted by the Treasurer of State and approved for introduction by a majority of the 
Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 205.
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MARTIN of Sinclair.
Cosponsored by Senator CLAXTON of Androscoggin and
Representatives: EVANGELOS of Friendship, KINNEY of Knox, RISEMAN of Harrison.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §131, as amended by PL 1989, c. 501, Pt. P, §7; PL 1995, c. 502, 
Pt. E, §30; PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §7; and PL 2013, c. 405, Pt. A, §24, is repealed and 
the following enacted in its place:
§131.  Departmental collections
1.  Departmental collections; immediate payment to State Treasury.  A 
department or agency of the State collecting or receiving public money, or money from 
any source whatsoever, belonging to or for the use of the State, or for the use of any state 
department or agency, shall pay the money immediately into the State Treasury, without 
any deductions on account of salaries, fees, costs, charges, expenses, refunds, claims or 
demands of any description whatsoever.  The Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands may refund daily use and camping fees based on 
the bureau's standard refund policies.  A department or agency may deposit such money 
to the credit of the State upon communicating with the Treasurer of State and receiving 
from the Treasurer of State instructions as to what state depository may be used for that 
purpose, and in every such case the depositor shall send to the Treasurer of State a 
statement of the deposits certified by the bank receiving it.  This section does not apply to 
county or town officers.
2.  Certain payments not immediate.  Notwithstanding subsection 1, certain 
payments due the State made through the use of automated procedures, electronic 
processes and computer-driven technology must be deposited in the State Treasury within 
business days of the date of the transaction initiated by the obligor.  The Treasurer of 
State and the State Controller may adopt rules to implement this subsection, including 
rules outlining procedures for the use of automated procedures, electronic processes and 
computer-driven technology for the collection of these payments pursuant to this 
subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection may not waive prohibitions against 
deductions on account of salaries, fees, costs, charges, expenses, refunds, claims or 
demands of any description whatsoever.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are 
routine technical rules as defined by chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the collection of certain payments due the State made through the 
use of automated procedures, electronic processes and computer-driven technology to be 
deposited in the State Treasury within 3 business days of the date of the transaction 
initiated by the obligor.  It allows the Treasurer of State and the State Controller to adopt 
routine technical rules outlining procedures for the use of these payment methods.  It 
prohibits any rule adopted from waiving prohibitions against deductions on account of 
salaries, fees, costs, charges, expenses, refunds, claims or demands of any description 
whatsoever.