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Commissioner of Agricultural, Food and Rural Resources and may | | keep the commissioner updated on the activities of the agency. |
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| | | Sec. 7. 7 MRSA §3907, sub-§11, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 383, §3, is | | repealed. |
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| | | Sec. 8. 7 MRSA §3909, as amended by PL 2001, c. 422, §5, is | | further amended to read: |
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| | | 1. Attorney General and district attorneys. Whenever a | | person has engaged in or is about to engage in an act or | | practice that constitutes a violation of this Act, a rule | | adopted pursuant to this Act or a condition of an order, | | license or permit approved or decision issued by the | commissioner chief humane agent pursuant to this Act, or that | | constitutes a violation of chapter 739 or Title 17, chapter | 42, the Attorney General or a District Attorney district | attorney, at the request of the commissioner chief humane | | agent, may institute proceedings before the District Court or | | Superior Court for an order enjoining those acts or practices, | | an order directing compliance or imposing a civil or criminal | | penalty, or any combination of these actions, as provided by | law. Upon a showing by the commissioner chief humane agent | | that the person has engaged or is about to engage in such an | | act or practice, the court may grant a permanent or temporary | | injunction, restraining order or other order as appropriate. |
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| | | 2. Designated employees of department. For purposes of | prosecution under this section, the commissioner chief humane | | agent may authorize humane agents and a state veterinarian to | | serve civil and criminal process pursuant to the Maine Rules | | of Civil Procedure, Rule 80H and any other applicable rules of | court. The commissioner chief humane agent may authorize | | humane agents or a state veterinarian to represent the | | department in District Court in the prosecution of civil | | violations of these laws. Certification of the humane agents | | and a state veterinarian for this purpose is as provided under | | Title 30-A, section 4453, subsection 5. Once certified, | | prosecution by the humane agent or a state veterinarian may | | seek civil penalties as provided by law as well as a permanent | | or temporary injunction, restraining order or other equitable | | relief as the court finds appropriate. |
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| | | 3. Education requirement; management. A humane agent hired | after January 1, 1999 shall attend a nationally recognized | animal law enforcement training program of at least 40 hours' | duration, regardless of the date of employment, must attend | | and successfully complete the Maine Criminal Justice Academy |
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