A discount of three percent of the taxes levied by this article due and payable to the state shall be allowed to the seller or vendor; provided, that the taxes due by such seller are paid before same becomes delinquent, as in this article provided.

Effective June 1, 2001, the Governor may, by executive order, authorize the Department of Revenue to provide by proper rules and regulations for the allowance of a discount, not to exceed three percent (3%) of the taxes levied by this article due and payable to the state by the seller or vendor; provided that the taxes due by such seller are paid before same becomes delinquent, as in this article provided.

For any taxes collected by the seller or vendor on or after June 1, 2001, the Governor may, by executive order, authorize the Department of Revenue to provide by proper rules and regulations for a maximum discount amount or rate for each seller or vendor regardless of the number of locations of that seller or vendor within the state.

Beginning June 1, 2001, until September 30, 2002, the balance of the sum equal to the increase in receipts due to any maximum discount amount or rate as provided herein shall first be credited to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for (1) the sum equal to the interest the Game and Fish Fund and the Seafood Fund would have earned on the sale of hunting and/or fishing licenses, which is required to be credited to the funds by Federal Regulation 50 CFR 80.4a(3), and (2) a sum equal to one million dollars ($1,000,000) for the Coastal Programs; and any remaining balance shall be credited to the State General Fund.

Beginning October 1, 2002, and each fiscal year thereafter the lesser of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) or the entire amount of the sum equal to the increase in receipts due to any maximum discount amount or rate as provided herein shall be credited to the Department of Human Resources and expended for the foster children program. Any remaining balance shall first be credited to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to be allocated in whole or in part to the following: (1) To the Game and Fish Fund and the Seafood Fund in an amount at least equal to the interest that each fund would have earned on the sale of hunting and/or fishing licenses which is required to be credited to the funds by the Federal Regulation 50 CFR 80.4a(3), and (2) to the Coastal Programs, a sum equal to one million dollars ($1,000,000); and any remaining balance shall be credited to the State General Fund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the fiscal years ending September 30, 2012, and September 30, 2013, only, the one million dollars ($1,000,000) that would otherwise be distributed to the Coastal Programs shall instead be distributed to the State General Fund.