An Act To Change the Membership of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1370
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: DUDLEY, EDER
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-G, 12 MRSA §10151, 12 MRSA §10151-A

Legislative Document 
No. 1370 
H.P.956 
House of Representatives, March 17, 2005 
An Act To Change the Membership of the Inland Fisheries and 
Wildlife Advisory Council 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative DUDLEY of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Representative: EDER of Portland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
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1J7.11!D£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§20, as amended by PL 2003, c. 
414, Pt. B, §4 and affected by c. 614, §9, is further amended to 
read: 
20. 
Inland 
Inland Fisher- Fisheries and 
ies and Wild-
wildlife 
life 
Advisory 
Council 
$50/Day 
MRSA 
§lGl§l 
§10151-A 
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §10151, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, 
§2 and affected by c. 614, §9, is repealed. 
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §10151-A is enacted to read: 
§10151-A. 
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council 
The 
Inland Fisheries 
and 
Wildlife 
Advisory 
Council, 
as 
established 
by 
Title 
5, 
section 
12004-G, 
subsection 
and 
referred to in this Part as "the advisory council," shall advise 
the commissioner on matters pertaining to fisheries and wildlife. 
1. 
Membership. 
The 
council 
consists 
of 
members 
appointed by the Governor as follows: 
A. 
One member representing a hunting organization; 
B. 
One member representing a fishing organization; 
C. 
One 
member 
representing 
an 
alternative 
sportsman's 
organization; 
D. 
One member representing wildlife watchers; 
E. 
One member representing the interests of hikers, canoers 
and kayakers; 
F. 
One member representing the interests of professional 
guides; 
G. 
One 
member 
representing 
the 
interests 
of 
wildlife 
habitat conservation: 
H. 
One member from a state animal protection organization; 
I. 
One member from the Maine Warden Service; 
J. 
One member representing the interests of trappers; and 
Page l-LR2063(1) 
L 
K. 
One 
member 
representing 
the 
public 
who 
is 
not 
a 
sportsman. 
2. 
State 
member; 
staff. 
The 
commissioner 
or 
the 
commissioner's designee serves as an ex officio nonvoting member 
of the advisory council. 
The department shall provide necessary 
staffing services to the advisory council. 
3. 
Compensation. 
Members 
of 
the 
advisory 
council 
are 
entitled to travel and meal expenses only. 
4. 
Terms of office. 
Except for the commissioner or the 
commissioner's designee, each member serves for a term of 3 years 
or until the member's successor has gualified. 
Except for the 
commissioner or the commissioner's designee, 
a 
member may not 
serve more than 2 consecutive terms. In the case of a vacancy for 
any reason, the Governor shall appoint a member representing the 
same interest to fill the unexpired term. 
5. 
Administration; meetings. 
The advisory council shall 
elect one of its members as chair. 
The chair serves for a 2-year 
period and may not serve as chair for consecutive 2-year periods. 
The advisory council shall hold regular public meetings every 
other month but may waive by majority vote a succeeding meeting. 
The chair shall call special meetings of the advisory council 
whenever reguested in writing by 2 or more members. 
The advisory 
council shall send notice and minutes of the meetings to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over animal welfare matters. 
6. 
Duties. The advisory council shall: 
A. 
Review and advise the commissioner on proposed revisions 
to wildlife laws and rules: 
B. 
Assist the commissioner in the continuing implementation 
and evaluation of the wildlife laws and rules: 
C. 
Maintain communication with the public; 
D. 
Establish long-range goals and objectives pertaining to 
the interest of the State's wildlife; 
E. 
Research 
options 
for 
increasing 
revenue 
to 
the 
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; and 
F. 
Advise the commissioner on other matters related to 
wildlife issues, laws and rules. 
Sec. 4. Transition; members. 
Members of the Inland Fisheries 
and Wildlife Advisory Council in office on the effective date of 
this Act continue in office for the remainder of their terms. 
When 
the 
term of office of 
a 
member expires, 
that member's 
successor is appointed pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 12, section 10151-A, subsection 1. 
SUMMARY 
This bill changes the way members of the Inland Fisheries 
and wildlife Advisory Council are selected.