| | | 5. Mahogany Quahog Monitoring Fund. The Toxin | | Quahog Monitoring Fund is established within the department. The | commissioner shall use any money credited to the Toxin | Quahog Monitoring Fund exclusively | | required under this section to monitor the level of paralytic | | shellfish toxin in mahogany quahogs and to conduct stock | | assessments of the mahogany quahog resource. All money in the | Toxin | the Legislature. The Toxin | | not lapse but must carry forward to be used for the same purpose. | | Nothing in this subsection prohibits the commissioner from using | | other funds budgeted by the department to carry out the purposes | | of this section. |
|
| | | Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6731-A, sub-§6 is enacted to read: |
|
| | | 6.__Stock assessment and report.__The department shall conduct | | stock assessments of the mahogany quahog resource beginning no | | later than January 1, 2005.__The department shall report | | biennially to the joint standing committee of the Legislature | | having jurisdiction over marine resources matters on the progress | | of the stock assessment and the status of the Mahogany Quahog | | Monitoring Fund starting on January 1, 2006. |
|
| | | Sec. 3. 36 MRSA §4718, as amended by PL 2003, c. 20, Pt. WW, §28, | | is further amended to read: |
|
| | | §4718. Contributions; Mahogany Quahog Monitoring Fund |
|
| | | The State Tax Assessor shall determine annually the total | amount of tax revenue collected under this chapter. The | | June 30, 2004, the State Tax Assessor shall deduct the cost of | | administering the mahogany quahog tax from those revenues and | | report the remainder to the Treasurer of State, who shall credit | that amount to the Toxin | | established in Title 12, section 6731-A, subsection 5, except | | that not more than $56,000 may be credited to the fund in any | year. Revenues | | in excess of $56,000 must be credited to the General Fund. |
|
| | | Beginning July 1, 2004, the State Tax Assessor shall deduct | | the cost of administering the mahogany quahog tax from those | | revenues and report the remainder to the Treasurer of State, who | | shall credit 58% of that amount or $56,000, whichever is greater, | | to the Mahogany Quahog Monitoring Fund established in Title 12, | | section 6731-A, subsection 5 and 42% or the remainder, as | | applicable, to the General Fund. |
|
| | | Sec. 4. Transfers from existing accounts. The Department of Marine | | Resources shall transfer the existing balance and |
|
|
