130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 142		LR 99(01)
	An Act To Give the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Rule-making Authority To Establish a Bear Season Framework and Bag Limits
	Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement for Original Bill
	Sponsor: Rep. Martin of Eagle Lake
	Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement
			FY 2021-22	FY 2022-23	Projections  FY 2023-24	Projections  FY 2024-25
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		($4,990)	($4,990)	($4,990)	($4,990)
Revenue
	General Fund		$4,990	$4,990	$4,990	$4,990
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill allows the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW) to establish bear hunting and trapping seasons and increased bag limits through rulemaking. The bill also reduces the fees charged for a resident bear hunting permit from $27 to $10 and the resident bear trapping fee from $27 to $10. If the rulemaking process successfully implements an increased bag limit of two bears per hunter, IFW believes a portion of hunters who bag an initial bear will apply for a second permit to allow them to hunt or trap an additional bear. The anticipated increase in bag limits will increase the number of resident bear hunting and resident trapping permits issued by 1,607 annually compared to the 4,922 issued annually on average under current law and increases the number of nonresident bear hunting permits by 981 at $74 (no rate change). The net revenue change is an increase of $4,990 annually beginning in fiscal year 2021-22. Any additional costs to IFW as a result of the rulemaking process for bear hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits are anticipated to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.