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An Act To Transfer Responsibility for the Returnable Beverage Container Laws from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Environmental Protection
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §1862, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1979, c. 731, §19 and PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §6, is further amended to read:
 
3. Commissioner.   "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and ForestryEnvironmental Protection.
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §1862, sub-§6, as amended by PL 1979, c. 731, §19 and PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5, is further amended to read:
 
6. Department.   "Department" means the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and ForestryEnvironmental Protection.
Sec. 3. Transition. The following provisions govern the transfer of the administration of the provisions regarding returnable beverage containers under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, chapter 28 from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Environmental Protection.
1. The Department of Environmental Protection is the successor in every way to the powers, duties and functions of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry under Title 32, chapter 28.
2. All existing rules, regulations and procedures in effect, in operation or adopted by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry or any of its administrative units or officers pursuant to Title 32, chapter 28 are hereby declared in effect and continue in effect until rescinded, revised or amended by the proper authority.
3. All existing contracts, agreements and compacts in effect under the authority of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry under Title 32, chapter 28 continue in effect.
4. Any positions authorized and allocated subject to the personnel laws to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry for the purposes of Title 32, chapter 28 are transferred to the Department of Environmental Protection and may continue to be authorized.
5. All records, property and equipment belonging to or allocated for the use of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry for the purposes of Title 32, chapter 28 become, on the effective date of this Act, part of the property of the Department of Environmental Protection.
6. All existing forms, licenses, letterheads and similar items bearing the name of or referring to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry used for the purposes of Title 32, chapter 28 may be used by the Department of Environmental Protection until existing supplies of those items are exhausted.
 
SUMMARY
This bill transfers administration of the provisions regarding returnable beverage containers from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Environmental Protection.