An Act To Require Veterinarians To Notify Municipalities of Rabies Vaccinations of Dogs II
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1727
Committee Amendment CA_A_H121 (House)
Amends: 7 MRSA §3916

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT '11 " to H.P. 1210, L.D. 1727, Bill, "An Act To 
Require Veterinarians To Notify Municipalities of Rabies Vaccinations of Dogs" 
II 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Require Veterinarians To Notify the Department of Agriculture, 
Food and Rural Resources of Rabies Vaccinations of Dogs' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
IS 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §3916, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A. 
Notice to department. 
A veterinarian who issues a certificate of rabies 
vaccination for a dog pursuant to subsection 2 shall, within 30 days of issuing the 
certificate, forward by mail, e-mail or fax a copy of that certificate to the department. 
The department shall send a copy of the certificate by mail, e-mail or fax to the clerk of 
the municipality in which the owner resides. If the owner resides in the unorganized 
territory, the department shall send a copy of the certificate to the dog recorder in that 
unorganized territory or, in the absence of a duly authorized dog recorder, to the dog 
recorder in the nearest municipality or unorganized territory in the same county in which 
the owner resides. The department may retain a copy or electronic record of the rabies 
certificate. The department may accumulate certificates received and distribute them 
periodically to the appropriate municipalities and dog recorders. Distributions must be 
made no fewer than 4 times a year. 
Sec. 2. Commissioner to provide information. Within IS days of the effective 
date of this Act, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources shall send a 
letter to veterinarians and the Maine Veterinary Medical Association explaining the new 
law and providing an e-mail address, a fax number and a mailing address to use when 
submitting copies of rabies certificates to the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural 
Resources. ' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'ft " 
to H.P. 1210, L.D. 1727 
SUMMARY 
This amendment requires a veterinarian to send a copy of dog rabies certificates to 
the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources instead of to municipal clerks. 
The department is charged with periodically distributing the certificates received to the 
appropriate municipal clerk or dog recorder. It requires the Commissioner of Agriculture, 
Food and Rural Resources to provide veterinarians with contact information. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
, 
Approved: 04/20107 Mac:.. 
LD 1727 
LR 2178(02) 
An Act To Require Veterinarians To Notify Municipalities of Rabies Vaccinations of Dogs 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "ft" 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium revenue increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
This bill requires veterinarians to notify the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources of rabies 
vaccinations of dogs. In turn, the department is required to periodically notify municipalities of vaccinations that 
occurred in their jurisdiction. This notification process is likely to result in increased dog licensure compliance, 
thereby increasing the amount of dog licensure revenue dedicated to the Animal Welfare Fund within the Department 
of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources; the amounts will depend on the licensure enforcement efforts of 
municipalities and can not be determined at this time. 
LR2 I 78(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I