An Act To Establish the Landowners and Sportsmen Relations Advisory Board
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1456
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: DUNLAP, BRYANT, HONEY, PINEAU, RICHARDSON, TOBIN, WHEELER, WOTTON, KNEELAND, MAYO
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-I, 12 MRSA §7038

Legislative Document 
No. 1456 
H.P.1064 
House of Representatives, March 27, 2003 
An Act To Establish the Landowners and Sportsmen Relations 
Advisory Board 
Submitted by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife pursuant to Joint Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative DUNLAP of Old Town. 
Cosponsored by Senator BRYANT of Oxford and 
/J'l~ 
/J7.1JldL:~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: HONEY of Boothbay, PINEAU of Jay, RICHARDSON of Greenville, 
TOBIN of Dexter, WHEELER of Kittery, WOTTON of Littleton, Senators: KNEELAND of 
Aroostook, MAYO of Sagadahoc. 
Primed nn recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§49-C is enacted to read: 
49-C. 
Inland 
Fisheries 
and wild-
life 
Landowners 
$50/Day 
and Sports-
men Relations 
Advisory Board 
MRSA 
~ 
Sec.2. 12 MRSA §7038 is enacted to read: 
§7038. 
Advisory board established 
1. 
Appointment 
and 
composition. 
The 
Landowners 
and 
Sportsmen Relations Advisory Board, referred to in this chapter 
as "the advisory board" and established by Title 5, 
section 
12004-1, subsection 49-C. consists of members as follows: 
A. 
Three ex officio members: 
(1) 
The commissioner or the commissioner's designee; 
(2) 
The Commissioner of Environmental Protection or 
the commissioner's designee: and 
(3) 
The 
Commissioner 
of 
Conservation 
or 
the 
commissioner's designee; 
B. 
Eight members, appointed by the Governor, representing 
landowners: 
(1) 
One representative of a statewide small woodland 
owners association; 
(2) 
One representative of corporate landowners; 
(3) 
One representative of a statewide forest products 
organization: 
(4) 
One 
representative 
of 
a 
statewide 
farmers 
organization; 
(5) 
One representative of 
a 
statewide small forest 
industry organization: 
(6) 
One representative of priV'a!.t..e: landow:n.e'rs who' is 
not 
affiliated 
with 
any 
of 
th>e 
organizations 
or 
associations in this subsection relating to farmillg e 
forestry or corporate ownership: 
(7) 
One 
representative 
of 
a 
statewide 
tree 
farm 
organization; and 
(8) 
One representative of land trust organizations: and 
C. 
Nine members, appointed by the Governor, representing 
land users; 
(1) 
One 
representative of 
a 
statewide 
sportsmen's 
organization; 
(2) 
One 
representative 
of 
a 
statewide 
trapping 
organization; 
(3) 
One 
representative 
of 
a 
statewide 
snowmobile 
organization: 
(4) 
One 
representative 
of 
a 
statewide all-terrain 
vehicle organization: 
(5) 
One representative of a statewide turkey hunters 
organization; 
(6) 
One 
representative 
of 
a 
statewide 
bowhunters 
organization: 
(7) 
One representative of a northern Maine sportsmen's 
organization; 
(8) 
One representative of a southern Maine sportsmen's 
organization: and 
(9) 
One representative of a statewide environmental 
organization. 
D. 
No 
more 
than 
nonvoting, 
ad 
hoc 
members 
may 
be 
appointed by the commissioner upon recommendation of the 
advisory board. 
These members must possess expertise or 
knowledge of the advisory board's purpose and duties and may 
not 
be 
affiliated with 
any 
organization or 
association 
listed in this subsection. 
2. 
Terms. 
Members of the advisory board, including the ad 
hoc members, serve for 3 years, except that, initially, the first 
landowner representative members appointed and the first 3 land 
user representative members appointed serve 3 years: the next 3 
landowner representative members appointed and the next 3 land 
user representative members 
appointed serve 
years: 
and the 
remaining landowner and land use representative members appointed 
serve for 1 year. 
The ad hoc members serve for 3 years. 
When a 
vacancy occurs, the Governor shall fill the vacancy by appointing 
a member from the same category as the member who vacated the 
advisory 
board 
and 
that 
member 
continues 
to 
serve 
for 
the 
remainder of the term. 
3. 
Chair: election of board officers. 
The members of the 
advisory board shall annually elect one of its members as chair 
and one of its members as vice-chair. 
4. 
Quorum. 
A majority of 
the 
advisory 
board 
members 
representing landowners and 
a 
majority of the advisory board 
members representing land users combined constitute a quorum. 
5. 
Compensation. 
Members 
who 
are not 
employed 
by 
the 
department are enti tIed to compensation as provided in Title 5{ 
chapter 379. 
6. 
Staffing of 
advisory 
board. 
The 
department 
shall 
provide administrative and staff support to the advisory board. 
7. 
Meetings. 
The 
advisory 
board shall 
hold quarterly 
meetings each year. 
Additional meetings may be held as necessary 
to conduct the business of the advisory board. 
8. 
Duties. 
The advisory board shall: 
A. 
Propose 
changes 
to 
or 
advise 
the 
commissioner 
on 
landowner-related laws, rules, department policies or other 
significant landowner and land user issues: 
B. 
Review 
landowner-related 
policies 
and 
procedures, 
conduct studies, evaluate programs and make recommendations 
to the commissioner: 
C. 
Obtain public 
use 
of private 
and public 
land 
for 
recreational 
activities 
by 
assisting 
with 
conflict 
resolution as it pertains to public access issues on both 
private and public lands and promote greater understanding 
and cooperation between owners and users of these lands; 
D. 
Review 
and 
make 
recommendations 
regarding 
programs 
administered 
by other 
agencies. 
The 
commissioner 
shall 
coordinate all reviews; and 
E. 
Conduct an organizational review of the advisory board 
every 5 years. 
This review must affirm to the department 
that the advisory board has 
the membership 
required by 
subsection 1 and that the advisory board is fulfilling its 
duties. 
If the review determines that the advisory board 
does not have the correct representational membership, 
a 
subcommi ttee of the members of the advisory board must be 
convened 
to 
recommend 
to 
the 
commissioner 
appropriate 
changes. 
At any time, the advisory board may recommend to 
the 
commissioner 
ways 
to 
improve 
the 
advisory 
board's 
membership or function and the commissioner shall act upon 
those recommendations. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes the Landowners and Sportsmen Relations 
Advisory Board.