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An Act Concerning Fish and Wildlife Program Funds
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10257, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. D, §7 and c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
§ 10257.Lake and River Protection Fund
 
1. Fund established.   The Lake and River Protection Fund, referred to in this section as the "fund," is established within the department as a nonlapsing fund. The fund must be administered by the commissioner. The fund is funded from fees collected for lake and river protection stickers issued under section 13058, subsection 3 and from other funds accepted for those purposes by the commissioner or allocated or appropriated by the Legislature. Money in the fund may be used for enforcing laws pertaining to invasive aquatic plants and nuisance species, inspecting watercraft for invasive aquatic plant and nuisance species materials, educational and informational efforts targeted at invasive aquatic plant and nuisance species prevention, eradication and management activities and the production and distribution of lake and river protection stickers required under section 13058, subsection 3. For purposes of this section, "nuisance species" has the same meaning as in Title 38, section 1861, subsection 2.
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §10263  is enacted to read:
§ 10263. Moose Research Fund
The Moose Research Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established within the department as a nonlapsing fund to be used by the commissioner to fund or assist in funding the research and the management of moose. Revenue from the sale of any moose hunting permits issued by the commissioner under section 11154, subsection 2-A must be deposited in the fund. The commissioner may accept and deposit into the fund monetary gifts, donations or other contributions from public or private sources for the purposes specified in this section. The fund must be held separate and apart from all other money, funds and accounts.
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §11154, sub-§2-A  is enacted to read:
 
2-A.  Additional permits.     In addition to moose hunting permits issued under subsection 2, and subject to the requirements of subsection 2, the commissioner may issue moose hunting permits to fund moose research and management activities; the revenue from these permits must be deposited into the Moose Research Fund established in section 10263.
 
SUMMARY
This bill adds language concerning nuisance species to the law concerning the Lake and River Protection Fund in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12 to be consistent with similar laws in Title 38.
The bill establishes a fund for moose management and research, funded by the issuance of extra moose hunting permits, and authorizes the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to issue additional permits for this fund.