An Act Requiring a Contract for the Administration of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Low-cost Spaying and Neutering Program
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1828
Committee Amendment CA_A_S428 (Senate)
Amends: 7 MRSA §3910-B

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " Pr " to S.P. 644, L.D. 1828, "An Act Requiring a 
Contract for the Administration of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry's Low-cost Spaying and Neutering Program" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §3910-B, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2009, c. 148, §3, is further 
amended to read: 
1. Establishment. There is established the Companion Animal Sterilization Fund, an 
interest-bearing account, referred to in this section as "the fund." The fund receives money 
deposited by the Treasurer of State pursuant to Title 36, section 5284-A, revenues 
generated in accordance with this section, all revenue from the surcharges collected under 
section 3933, subsection 4, revenue received from surcharges in accordance with section 
714, subsection 4 and any money contributed voluntarily to the fund. All money deposited 
in the fund and the earnings on that money remain in the fund to be used for the spaying or 
neutering of companion animals owned by persons meeting income limit standards and for 
the spaying or neutering of a feral cat regardless of a person's income and for the necessary 
direct administrative and personnel costs associated with the management of the fund and 
may not be deposited in the General Fund or any other fund except as specifically provided 
by law. The fund may not be charged for indirect costs under a departmental indirect cost 
allocation plan. 
Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §3910-B, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 539, Pt. CCCC, 
§2, is amended to read: 
1-A. Option te eentraet fer administratien Administration of the fund. The 
commissioner may shall contract the administration of the fund to a suitable animal welfare 
organization Of individual selected through a competitive process. The contracting 
organization Of individual shall administer the fund in accordance with procedures and 
eligibility standards established under subsection 2. The contracting organization er 
individual may not expend more than 15% of the fund annually for administrative costs. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
ROFS 1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" f} "to S.P. 644, L.D. 1828 l S-L\L'6) 
In the event that the commissioner cannot find a suitable animal welfare organization, the 
department shall administer the fund. 
Sec, 3. 7 MRSA §3910-B, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 682, §4, is amended 
to read: 
2. 
Subsidies; development of standards. 
The commissioner shall develop 
procedures and eligibility standards for the awarding of subsidies to low-income persons 
for the spaying or neutering of those persons' companion animals. 
Procedures and 
eligibility standards must be developed in consultation with veterinarians and 
representatives of humane societies and animal shelters. The commissioner shall develop 
procedures to pay a person, regardless of income, 100% of the cost of spaying or neutering 
a feral cat. 
Sec. 4. 7 MRSA §3910-B, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 539, Pt. CCCC, §3, 
is repealed. 
Sec. 5. Contract for administration of the Companion Animal Sterilization 
Fund; rules. The Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall, in 
consultation with the Animal Welfare Advisory Council established by the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 2-C, issue a request for proposals no later than 
August 1, 2022 from animal welfare organizations to administer the Companion Animal 
Sterilization Fund created under Title 7, section 3910-B, referred to in this section as "the 
fund" and the department's low-income spay and neuter program known as the Help Fix 
ME program, referred to in this section as "the program." The initial contract with the 
administrator chosen under this section must be for 36 months. The commissioner shall 
select an administrator that: 
1. Demonstrates a dedication to spay and neuter companion animals and feral cats and 
target low-income communities and populations to the extent possible; 
2. Has the technical expertise to operate the program; 
3. Commits to maintain the staff necessary to field telephone calls in a timely manner 
and to provide vouchers to program applicants within 7 business days of receipt of 
copayment and satisfactory proof of eligibility, except that copayment may not be required 
for the spaying and neutering of feral cats; 
4. Will ensure the privacy of the information of program applicants; and 
5. Commits to providing strong customer service when administering the fund and 
program. 
Sec. 6. Evaluation of initial contract for administration of the Companion 
Animal Sterilization Fund. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
shall conduct an evaluation of the initial 36-month contract entered into pursuant to this 
Act for the Companion Animal Sterilization Fund created under the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 7, section 3910-B. Criteria for the evaluation must include whether the 
administrator spent approximately 90% of the fund each fiscal year; increased and then 
maintained the number of areas in the State in which spay and neuter surgeries are 
performed under the low-income spay and neuter program, also known as the Help Fix ME 
program; increased and then maintained the number of veterinarians participating in the 
program; and decreased the amount of time between submission of a request for funds and 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "-v\ "to S.P. 644, L.D. 1828 ( 'S- C\'2_ 1sJ 
receipt of a voucher for sterilization services by an applicant. Upon completion of the 
evaluation and no later than January 1, 2026, the department shall submit a report to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over animal welfare matters. 
The joint standing committee may submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 132nd 
Legislature relating to the subject matter of the report. 
Sec. 7. 
Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF 
Animal Welfare Fund 0946 
Initiative: Allocation for Personal Services is increased in the Animal Welfare Fund and 
offset by a decrease in All Other allocation. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUEFUNDS 
Personal Services 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
Animal Welfare Fund 0946 
2021-22 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2022-23 
$27,083 
($27,083) 
$0 
Initiative: Allocation for Personal Services is decreased in the Companion Animal 
Sterilization Fund and offset by an increase in All Other allocation to allow a 36-month 
contract with an outside entity to administer the Companion Animal Sterilization Fund. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
Personal Services 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND 
FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
2021-22 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2021-22 
$0 
$0 
2022-23 
($27,083) 
$27,083 
$0 
2022-23 
$0 
$0 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
The bill requires the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to 
contract for the administration of the Companion Animal Sterilization Fund, but requires 
the department to administer the fund if a suitable 3rd-party administrator cannot be found. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEEAMENDMENT" P,"toS.P.644,L.D.1828 ( ':l·C\2 i) 
The amendment requires the commissioner to develop procedures to pay a person, 
regardless of income, 100% of the cost for the spaying or neutering of a feral cat. The 
amendment also specifies that a copayment may not be required for the spaying or 
neutering of a feral cat. 
The amendment requires the commissioner, in consultation with the Animal Welfare 
Advisory Council, to issue a request for proposals no later than August 1, 2022 to contract 
the administration of Companion Animal Sterilization Fund. The amendment requires that 
the initial contract be for 36 months. 
The amendment requires the Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to conduct an evaluation of the initial 36-month 
contract and to submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over animal welfare matters no later than January 1, 2026. The joint standing 
committee is required to submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 132nd 
Legislature relating to the subject matter of the report. The amendment also adds an 
appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 02/23/22 feae 
LD 1828 
LR 2247(02) 
An Act Requiring a Contract for the Administration of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry's Low-cost Spaying and Neutering Program 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ''.ft" ( s-L\'L~ 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
_.'iscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2021-22 
FY 2022-23 
$0 
$0 
Projections 
FY 2023-24 
$0 
Projections 
FY 2024-25 
$0 
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (ACF) to enter into a 36-month contract 
with an outside entity to administer the Companion Animal Sterilization Fund (CASF). The bill also requires ACF to 
develop procedures to pay 100% of the cost for spaying and neutering of feral cats and prohibits requiring a 
copayment for the spaying. ACF has indicated that transferring current staffing from the CASF to the Animal Welfare 
Fund (A WF) and eliminating existing contracted staffing will allow the cost of administering the contract to be 
absorbed within existing budgeted resources. The bill includes offsetting Personal Services and All Other allocations 
and deallocations of $27,083 within the CASF and again within the A WF beginning in fiscal year 2022-23. The 
prohibition of a copayment will increase the cost of spaying and neutering feral cats. The department has indicated 
that CASF has sufficient resources available to accommodate this increase. 
LR2247(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1