An Act To Extend the Season for Training Hunting Dogs
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0171
Committee Amendment CA_A_S22 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 57, L.D. 171, Bill, "An Act To Extend 
the Season for Training Hunting Dogs" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inseliing the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, it is vital to the management of game species that adequate 0ppOliunity 
exist for hunters to properly train their hunting dogs; and 
Whereas, hunting dog training season begins on July 1, 2009; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
'Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 12 MRS A §12051, sub-§I-A is enacted to read: 
I-A. Open training season 2009-2010. Notwithstanding subsection 1, beginning 
July 1, 2009 and ending June 30, 2010, unless otherwise provided in this Pmi, a person 
may not: 
A. Engage in activities authorized under this subsection unless that person possesses 
a valid hunting license issued under section 11109; and 
B. Train dogs on wild birds and wild animals except as specified in this paragraph. 
(1) A person may train dogs on foxes, rabbits and raccoons from July 1 st through 
the following March 31 st, including Sundays. 
(2) . A person may train spOliing dogs on wild birds at any time, including 
Sundays. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~;'~'~ 
~~~ 
COMMITTEE f. 
...:.NDMENT'·A" to S.P. 57, L.D. 171 
(3) A resident may train up to 6 dogs at anyone time on bear from July 1 st to the 
first day of the open season on hunting bear, except in those portions of 
Washington County and Hancock County that are situated south of Route 9. 
A person who violates this subsection commits a Class E crime. 
S 
This subsection is repealed on June 30, 2010. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect July 1, 2009.' 
.. SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill, which was a concept draft, and adds an emergency 
clause and emergency preamble. This amendment requires for a one-year period a person 
to possess a valid hunting license when training hunting dogs, extends the training season 
for dogs on bears by one month and changes the current limit on the number of dogs that 
can be trained on bear at one time from 4 dogs to 6 dogs. Those changes apply from July 
1,2009 to June 30, 2010. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUlRED 
(See Attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
') 
) 
) 
;-' 
, 
p 
Approved: 02/27/09' Mac. 
I 
(~'; 
LD 171 
LR 816(02) 
An Act To Extend the Season for Training Hunting Dogs 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment'~" 
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
No net fiscal impact 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Eliminates Class E crimes 
Establishes new Class E crimes 
LR0816(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of 1