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Public Law
124th Legislature
First Regular Session
Chapter 249
H.P. 252 - L.D. 316
An Act To Allow Eleven Large Game Shooting Areas in the State
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.   7 MRSA §1332,  as amended by PL 2003, c. 386, §5, is further amended to read:
§ 1332.  Animal Industry Fund
The Treasurer of State shall establish a separate account known as the Animal Industry Fund. This fund does not lapse but must be carried forward. Except as provided in section 1346, license fees collected under section 1333, subsection 3 and license and tagging fees collected under section 1342, subsections 3 and 4 and section 1342-A must be deposited in the account. Funds from this account may be used to pay for administrative costs associated with licenses issued under sections 1333 and , 1342 and 1342-A, tags issued under section 1342 and other costs associated with administration and enforcement of this chapter and chapter 202-A.
Sec. 2.   7 MRSA §1342, first ¶,  as enacted by PL 1999, c. 765, §3, is amended to read:
Beginning October 1, 2000, a person may not establish or operate a commercial large game shooting area unless that person has a valid license issued in accordance with this section or section 1342-A.
Sec. 3.   7 MRSA §1342, 2nd ¶,  as enacted by PL 1999, c. 765, §3, is amended to read:
The Commissioner Except as provided in section 1342-A, the commissioner may issue a license under this chapter only to a person who operated a commercial large game shooting area during the period beginning October 1, 1999 and ending March 15, 2000 and only for large game offered for harvesting within that area during that time period.
Sec. 4.   7 MRSA §1342, sub-§1,  as enacted by PL 1999, c. 765, §3, is amended to read:
 
1. Application.    An applicant for a commercial large game shooting area license must submit an application on a form provided by the commissioner along with the required license fee as provided under subsection 3. An application under this subsection must be submitted for a specific parcel of land, and the applicant must demonstrate in accordance with subsection 9 that the applicant has operated a commercial large game shooting area on that parcel of land between October 1, 1999 and March 15, 2000. The application must include the name and address of the person applying for the license and a map locating the proposed site in relation to known or easily identifiable terrain features, such as a road junction or a stream and road junction. The map must be a copy of a 7.5 or 15 minute series topographical map produced by the United States Geological Survey or a map of equivalent or superior detail in the location of roads.
Sec. 5.   7 MRSA §1342, sub-§10  is enacted to read:
 
10.  Expansion of licenses.      A person issued a license under this section shall notify the commissioner prior to offering a genus or species of large game for harvesting that was not offered for harvesting at the time the initial license was issued. The notification must state the additional genus or species that the license holder is proposing to offer. Upon determining that the license holder can meet the requirements of subsection 2, the commissioner shall issue a revised license.
Sec. 6.   7 MRSA §1342-A  is enacted to read:
§ 1342-A.   Issuance of initial licenses after April 1, 2009
The commissioner may issue a license in accordance with this section and section 1342-B to applicants who do not qualify for a license under section 1342.
 
1.  Application.      To apply for a license under this section, a person must submit an application on a form provided by the commissioner along with the license fee established under section 1342, subsection 3. The application must include:
 
 A.  The name and mailing address of the person applying for the license;
 
 B.  A map locating the proposed site in relation to known or easily identifiable terrain features, such as a road junction or a stream and road junction. The map must be a copy of a 7.5 or 15 minute series topographical map produced by the United States Geological Survey or a map of equivalent or superior detail in the location of roads;
 
 C.  A statement of the types of large game the applicant is proposing to offer for harvest; and
 
 D.  Information sufficient to demonstrate that the land and facilities requirements under section 1342, subsection 2 can be met.
 
2.  Criteria for reviewing applications.      Upon receipt of a complete application under subsection 1, the commissioner shall review all materials submitted to determine the proximity of the proposed commercial large game shooting area to other licensed commercial large game shooting areas. If more than 2 applicants qualify for a license under this section, the commissioner shall give preference to a proposal to establish a commercial large game shooting area in Piscataquis County and to other proposals that advance geographic distribution of commercial large game shooting areas. The commissioner may establish additional criteria for rating applications in rules adopted under section 1342, subsection 8. The commissioner may require inspection of the proposed site prior to issuing a license under this section.
 
3.  Issuance of license; restrictions and requirements.      The commissioner may not issue more than one license under this section to a person. The commissioner may not issue a license under this section to a person who received a license under section 1342 whether that license is valid or expired.
 
A license issued under this section is for a specific parcel of land and only for the genus and species of large game specified in the license. The requirements and restrictions under section 1342, subsections 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 and rules adopted under subsection 8 apply to licenses issued under this section. A person issued a license under this section shall establish and maintain the licensed commercial large game shooting area in accordance with section 1342, subsection 2, paragraphs A to E.
 
4.  Acceptance of license applications.      The commissioner may establish a deadline for accepting applications for commercial large game shooting area licenses under this section and may postpone action on applications received until that deadline has passed.
Sec. 7.   7 MRSA §1342-B  is enacted to read:
§ 1342-B.   Limitation on the number of commercial large game shooting areas
The number of commercial large game shooting areas in the State may not exceed 11. The commissioner may not issue a license under section 1342-A if the total number of valid licenses issued under sections 1342 and 1342-A is 11. For purposes of this section, “valid license” means a license that has not expired whether or not the person holding the license has continued to operate a commercial large game shooting area.
Sec. 8.   7 MRSA §1344, sub-§1,  as enacted by PL 1999, c. 765, §3, is amended to read:
 
1. Operating commercial large game shooting area without license.    A person who operates a commercial large game shooting area without a license issued under section 1342 or section 1342-A is guilty of a Class E crime.
Sec. 9.   7 MRSA §1344, sub-§3,  as amended by PL 2005, c. 81, §1, is further amended to read:
 
3. Revocation of license.    The commissioner may revoke a license issued under section 1342 or under section 1342-A for any violation of this chapter or rule adopted pursuant to this chapter or any violation of chapter 739 or Title 17, chapter 42, subchapter 3.
Sec. 10.   7 MRSA §1346,  as amended by PL 2003, c. 386, §11, is further amended to read:
§ 1346.  License fees deposited in General Fund
Notwithstanding section 1332, section 1333, subsection 3 and section 1342, subsections 3 and 4, the first $1,120 collected each year under those sections and under section 1342-A for license fees for domesticated cervid farms and commercial large game shooting areas and transport tag fees must be deposited in the General Fund.
 
Effective September 12, 2009