An Act To Increase Participation in Funding the Activities of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0626
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: EBERLE, CAMPBELL, CLARK, DAVIS, DUCHESNE, PINGREE, WHEELER, McCORMICK
Amends: 12 MRSA §10253

Legislative Document 
No. 626 
H.P.440 
House of Representatives, February 17, 2009 
An Act To Increase Participation in Funding the Activities of the 
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
, Presented by Representative EBERLE of South Portland. 
Cosponsored by Senator BRYANT 0 f Oxford and 
71/~d:; 1/1. J7ldC~~{. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Represeiltatives: BRYANT of Windham, CAMPBELL of Newfield, CLARK of Millinocket, 
DAVIS of Sangerville, DUCHESNE of Hudson, Speaker PINGREE of North Haven, 
WHEELER of Kiuery, Senator: McCORMICK of Kennebec. 
I'nnlL'd I'll t:':L:.Lkd p;tpl.'! 
( 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10253, sub~§I, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and 
affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read: 
' 
1. Fund established. The Maine Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund, referred 
to in this section as the "fund," is established. The fund receives money deposited by the 
Treasurer of State pursuant to section sections 10255 and 13074, subsection 2 and Title 
36, .section 5284, revenues generated in accordance with this section and any money 
contributed voluntarily to the fund. All money deposited in the fund and the earnings on 
that money remain in the fund to be used for the management of nongame wildlife and 
for necessary administrative and personnel costs associated with the management of 
nongame wildlife and may not be deposited in the General Fund or any other fund, except 
as spedfically provided by law. 
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §10253, sub-§5, as eriacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and 
affected by c. 614, §9, is repealed. 
Se~. 3. 12 MRS A §13074is enacted to read: 
§13074. Nonmotorized watercraft license: WE CARE 
·18 
. 
1. License required to operate a nonmotorized watercraft on inland waters. A 
person 16 years of age or older may not operate a nonrnotorized watercraft on inland 
waters unless that person holds a valid hunting, fishing or trapping license or a valid 
Wildlife Enthusiast's Conservation Appreciation, Recreation and Enjoyment or WE 
CARE license issued pursuant to this section. 
2. Fee. The fee for the WE CARE license under subsection 1· is $19 annually. 
Revenue raised by the department from the sale of this license must be deposited in the 
Maine Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund under section 10253. 
3. Penalty. The penalties set out in this subsection apply to violations of this 
section. 
A. A person who violates subsection 1 commits a civil violation for which a fine of 
not less than $100 and not more than $500 may be adjudged. 
.B. 
A person who violates subsection 1 after having been adjudicated as having 
cornrhitted 3 or more civil violations underthis Part within the previous 5-year period 
commits a Class E crime. 
. 
.32 
SUMMARY 
This bill prohibits a person 16 years of age or older from operating a nonmotorized 
watercraft on inland waters without possessing a hunting, fishing or trapping license or a 
Wildlife Enthusiast's Conservation Appreciation, Recreation and Enjoyment or WE 
CARE license. The bill repeals the cunent voluntary WE CARE support program. The 
Page I - 124LR1429(Ol)-1 
) 
) 
) 
n 
\,,------' 
fee for the WE CJ\RE license is $19 annually, and revenues generated from the sale of 
the license must be deposiied in the Maine Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund.