Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6431-E, sub-§1, ķA, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 693, §1 and affected by §3, is amended to read:

A. "Family member" means a spouse, brother, sister, son-in- law, daughter-in-law, parent by blood, parent by adoption, mother-in-law, father-in-law, child by blood, child by adoption, stepchild, stepparent, grandchild or grandparent.

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6749-W, sub-§§4 and 5, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 177, §6, are repealed.

Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §6749-Z, sub-§§4 and 5 are enacted to read:

4.__Limitation on approving zone changes.__The commissioner may not authorize a zone change between August 1st and December 31st.

5.__Effective date of zone change.__The effective date of a zone change authorized by the commissioner is August 1st.

Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §6858, sub-§5-C is enacted to read:

5-C.__Exception for certain lobster meat.__This section does not apply to lobster meat processed under a lobster tail permit issued under section 6862.

SUMMARY

This bill makes the following changes to the marine resource laws.

1. It adds "spouse" to the definition of family members.

2. It moves the provisions regarding zone changes to a more applicable section.

3. It places an exception for lobster meat processed under a lobster tail permit in the section of law that specifies the size and condition of lobster meat in order to make those sections consistent.