Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §2222, as amended by PL 1997, c. 454, §4, is further amended to read:

§2222. Permit and registration

A person who cultivates ginseng for sale must be licensed by the department and shall pay an annual fee of $10 established by the commissioner by rule, which is a routine technical rule as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A. A person who buys ginseng for resale shall register annually with the department as a ginseng dealer and pay an annual fee of $25 established by the commissioner by rule, which is a routine technical rule as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II- A. The commissioner may issue a license for a one-year, 2-year or 3-year period. Licenses for a period in excess of one year may only be issued with the agreement of or at the request of the applicant. The fee for a 2-year license is 2 times the annual fee. The fee for a 3-year license is 3 times the annual fee.

SUMMARY

This bill deletes the fees for cultivating ginseng and for conducting business as a ginseng dealer from law and authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources to establish these fees by rule.