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An Act To Adjust the Milk Handling Fee
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §4902, sub-§1,  as enacted by PL 2005, c. 396, §8, is amended to read:
 
1. Fee.   Upon notification by the Maine Milk Commission in accordance with Title 7, section 2954, subsection 16, the assessor shall levy and impose a fee at the rate established in subsection 22-A on the handling in this State of packaged milk for sale in this State. With respect to the handling in this State of a particular container of packaged milk for sale in this State, the fee must be paid by the handler. There is no fee on the handling in this State of packaged milk for sale in containers of less than one quart or 20 or more quarts in volume, or packaged milk that is sold to an institution that is owned and operated by the State or the Federal Government.
Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §4902, sub-§2,  as enacted by PL 2005, c. 396, §8, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 36 MRSA §4902, sub-§2-A  is enacted to read:
 
2-A.  Rate.     The rate of the fee levied under this chapter is established for each fee period on the basis of the basic price of milk in effect on the Sunday following the first Sunday of the fee period in accordance with the following:
 
A.  If the basic price is $23.00 per hundredweight and above, the rate of the milk handling fee is 6¢ per gallon;
 
B.  If the basic price is $22.50 to $22.99 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 8¢ per gallon;
 
C.  If the basic price is $22.00 to $22.49 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 10¢ per gallon;
 
D.  If the basic price is $21.50 to $21.99 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 12¢ per gallon;
 
E.  If the basic price is $21.00 to $21.49 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 14¢ per gallon;
 
F.  If the basic price is $20.50 to $20.99 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 16¢ per gallon;
 
G.  If the basic price is $20.00 to $20.49 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 18¢ per gallon;
 
H.  If the basic price is $19.50 to $19.99 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 20¢ per gallon;
 
I.  If the basic price is $19.00 to $19.49 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 22¢ per gallon;
 
J.  If the basic price is $18.50 to $18.99 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 24¢ per gallon;
 
K.  If the basic price is $18.00 to $18.49 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 26¢ per gallon;
 
L.  If the basic price is $17.50 to $17.99 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 28¢ per gallon;
 
M.  If the basic price is $17.00 to $17.49 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 30¢ per gallon;
 
N.  If the basic price is $16.50 to $16.99 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 32¢ per gallon;
 
O.  If the basic price is $16.00 to $16.49 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 34¢ per gallon; and
 
P.  If the basic price is below $16.00 per hundredweight, the rate of the milk handling fee is 36¢ per gallon.
 
For any container other than a gallon, the fee is computed on a gallon-equivalent basis.
 
SUMMARY
This bill increases the maximum rate of the milk handling fee from 12¢ to 36¢ per gallon.