An Act to Allow the
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1213
Committee Amendment CA_A_S135 (Senate)
Amends: 7 MRSA §81, 7 MRSA §85, 7 MRSA §86, 7 MRSA §88

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/-! " to S.P. 502> L.D. 1213, "An Act to Allow the
Premiums and Gratuities Paid for Any Agricultural F.vents Approved by the Commissioner
of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to Be Considered .in Apportionment of Stipends
to Agricultural Fairs" ,
t3 Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following;
'An Act Regarding Apportionment of Stipends to Agricultural Fairs'
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following:
'See. 1. 7 MRSA §81, sub-§10, as enacted by PL 2005,c.563, §3, is amended to
read:
10. Premium. "Premium" means a ribbon, trophy or monetary amount or a service or
object with monetary value awarded as a prize in a competition or event.
See. 2. 7 MRSA §85, first ^ as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, is amended to read:
The Treasurer of Stale shall establisti the Fair Fund and shall annually credit a sum of
money equal to 5% of the total amount designated as state share in accordance with Title
8, section 286 to the Fair Fund, The commissioner shall make distributions from the Fair
Fund only (o licensees eligible for a stipend under section 86, subsections 5 and 6.
Distributions are proratect according to (tie amount of premiums andgrnluities actually paid
by those licensees m full and in cash or valuable equivalent. Restrictions on premiums ttti4
gratuities used to determine apportionment of a stipend under section 86, subseclion 5
aPpty to distribution from the Fair Fund.
See. 3. 7 MRSA §86, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, is amended to
read:
5. Distribution to nil eligible licensees. The amount remaining in the Stipend Fund
after distributions in accordance with subsections 2, 3 and 4 must be ciivided among fair
licensees meeting.the eligibility criteria in subsection 6, prorated according to the amount
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
•fe-1^
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "^| " lo S,P.502, L.D, 12131
I of premiums (md-gratuitios actually paid by those licensees in full and in cash or valuable
fji 2 equivalent, . . • .
• "3 In determining distribution under this subsection, ne an allowance fe may not be made on
premiums offered and paid by a licensee at any competition or event held other than during
the period at ui which its annual fair is held. Allowance may not be made or consideration
given for lump sums, payments or premiums previously arranged and agreed upon for the
presentation and display of any animals or products without regard to competition or event,
Premiums and gratuities used to determine a|5portionment under this subsection are limited
to those paid for:
A. Livestock and poultry;
B, Vegetables, grains, fruits and flowers;
C. Products derived from livestock and dairy products;
D. Home-canned, home-cooked and home-baked goods;
E. Grange and farm exhibits;
P. Boys' (ind girls' club c?chibit5;
F-l.youdiagi'icult^ events;
G. Mechanical arts exhibits;
H. 8emestie-att(l-fettey-(n;tietes Arts and crafts produced in tile home;
I. Pulling contests for eqnines and oxen; aftfl
J. I'll 11 ing contests for farm tractors and pickup tmcksri
K. Educational aericultural talks, worksliops and demonstt'aliotis; and
L. Any other aKi'icultural event anproved by the coinrnissjoner.
See. 4. 7 MRSA §86, sub-§8, as amended by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, § 1, is further
amended to read:
8. Maxinnun allowed distribution from Stipend Fund. A licensee may not receive
a stipend from the Stipend Fund greater than the amount actually raised and spent by the
licensee on premiums ftfld gratuities in the classes provided in subsection 5. A licensee
may not receive a stipend from (he Stipend Fund in excess of $10,000, except that this
limitation does not appiy to any additional stipend provided for by Title 8, section 287 or
to funds distributed from the Fair Fund in accordance with section 85, the Agricultural Fair
Support Fund in accordance with section 91 or the Agricultural Fair Promotion Fund in
accordance with section 103.
See. 5. 7 MRSA §88, sub-§l, P, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, is amended
to read:
B, The commissioner submits a certificat'e to the executive director of the State
Harness Racing Commission stating that the commissioner has examined the claim of
the licensee and delenuined that the licensee has complied with sections 86 and 87 and
has awarded an<l paid as premiums and grntuities a sum equal to or greater than the
stipend received by the licensee.'
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
'• to S.P. 502, L.D. 1213 L)'
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"^ '• to S.P. 502, L.D.1213
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letler or section
number to read consecutively,
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill, changes the title and makes technical changes to the
statutes relating to (lie Stipend Fund and the amount distributed among fair licensees. The
amendment specifically adds educational agricultural talks, workshops and demonstrations
to the list of competitions and events 'that may be considered in the calculation of
apportionment for stipends; as in the bill, the amendment also specifies that any'agriciiltnral
event approved by the Coinniissioner of Agriculture, Conserviition and Forestry may be
used to determine (lie apportionment, The amendment removes the obsolete term
"gratuities" from the laws governing agricultural fairs and pulling evenls.
FISCAL NOTE REQUmED
.13 (See attached)
Pnge3-132LR1440(02)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Revised; 04/23/25 t-KL.
LD 1213 LR 1440(02)
An Act to Allow the Premiums and Grafuities Paid for Any Agricultural Events Approved by the
Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to Be Considered in Apportionment of
Stipends to Agricultural Fairs
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "/V! / c.
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Clianges fund distribution criteria
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds
Fiscal Detail and Notes
This bill changes the criteria used to determine distributions from the Stipend Fund within the Department of
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACP) to all eligible licensees after tlie distributions to fair licensees that
conduct pari-mutuel racing and the distributions to fair licensees that did not conduct pari-muhiel racing but did meet
other criteria have been distributed, These changes will modify the distribution ratio within the remaining funding but
will not increase (lie amount available to distribute. Any additional costs to the DACP to implement the provisions of
this bill are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources,
LR1440(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1