An Act To Establish the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1830
Committee Amendment CA_A-HA_A_H902 (House)

HOUSE AMENDMENT ,,/I " 
to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1350, 
L.D. 1830, Bill, "An Act To Establish the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry" 
Amend the amendment by inserting after the title the following: 
'Amend the bill by striking out all of Part A and inserting the following: 
'PART A 
Sec. A-I. 7-A MRS A is enacted to read: 
TITLE 7-A 
AGRICUL TURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY 
SUBTITLE 1 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY 
CHAPTERl 
DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION 
SUBCHAPTER 1 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
§lOl. Definitions 
As used in this Title, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have 
the following meanings. 
1. 
Commissioner. 
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture, 
Conservation and Forestry. 
2. Department. "Department" means the Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry. 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT ",if:, to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1350, L.D. 1830 
3. Seal. The department has an official seal, which must be judicially noticed. 
SUBCHAPTER 2 
ORGANIZATION 
§201. Department 
1. Establishment. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is 
established as a cabinet-level department. 
2. Divisions. The department consists of the divisions necessary to carry out the 
work of the department. 
§202. Mission; guiding principles 
1. Mission. The mission of the department is to serve as the steward of Maine's 
agricultural, forestry, water and land resources for the State. 
2. 
Guiding principles. 
The following principles are adopted to guide the 
department in the performance of its duties: 
A. Forestry, farming, conservation, public lands and other natural resource-based 
economic activity are important to the State's economy and quality of life: and 
B. Strengthening farming, forestry, conservation, recreation, state parks, public lands 
and public access to the State's natural resources is vital to enhancing the State's 
natural resources economy. 
§203. Commissioner 
The department is under the control and supervISIOn of the Commissioner of 
AgricUlture, Conservation and Forestry, who reports directly to the Governor. 
1. Appointment. The Governor shall appoint the commissioner, subject to review 
by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture, 
conservation and forestry matters and confirmation by the Senate. The commissioner 
serves at the pleasure of the Governor. 
2. Deputies; staff. The commissioner shall appoint 2 deputy commissioners, one of 
whom assists the commissioner with operations and administration of the department and 
one of whom assists the commissioner with agriculture, forestry and natural resources-
based economic development. 
3. Vacancy; commissioner. A vacancy in the office of the commissioner must be 
filled as follows. 
A. A vacancy in the commissioner's position must be filled in accordance with Title 
5, section 1. 
B. The commissioner shall appoint one of the department's deputy commissioners to 
perform the duties of the commissioner, in addition to the duties of that deputy 
commissioner, during the commissioner's temporary absence or disability. 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT "IF· to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1350, L.D. 1830 
§204. Powers and duties of commissioner 
The commissioner has all of the powers and duties necessary to carry out the mission 
and responsibilities of the department. The commissioner has the power to distribute the 
functions and duties given to the commissioner under this Title, Title 7 and Title 12 
among the various divisions of the department so as to integrate the work properly and to 
promote the most economical and efficient administration of the department. Powers and 
duties given to the commissioner or the department in this Title, Title 7 or Title 12 must 
be assumed and carried out by the divisions that the commissioner designates and may in 
tum be delegated to subordinates by division directors with the approval of the 
commissioner. 
1. 
Administration. 
The commissioner shall administer the department in 
accordance with the requirements of this Title and shall fulfill the duties prescribed to the 
commissioner by state and federal law. 
2. Rulemaking. The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this Title. Rules 
adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules, as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A, unless otherwise specified. 
3. Employees. The commissioner may employ personnel as necessary to carry out 
the work of the department. Except as otherwise provided by law, all personnel of the 
department are under the immediate supervision, direction and control of the 
commissioner. Department personnel are subject to the Civil Service Law, except for 
positions subject to appointment by the commissioner under subsection 4 and as 
otherwise specified. 
4. 
Appointments. 
The deputy commissioners and division directors of the 
department are appointed by the commissioner and serve at the pleasure of the 
commissioner, except as otherwise provided by law. Deputy commissioners and division 
directors appointed pursuant to this Title must have educational qualifications and 
professional experience directly related to the functions of and services provided by the 
relevant unit or division. 
§205. Department organization; divisions 
The department is composed of the following divisions, each of which is under the 
direction and supervision of a director: 
1. Division of Agricultural Resource Development. The Division of Agricultural 
Resource Development, whose director must be qualified by training, experience and 
skill in agricultural management; 
2. Division of Forestry. The Division of Forestry, also known as the Maine Forest 
Service, whose director must be qualified by training, experience and skill in forestry; 
3. Division of Parks and Public Lands. The Division of Parks and Public Lands, 
whose director must be qualified by training, experience and skill in parks, public lands, 
outdoor recreation or natural resource management. The commissioner shall appoint a 
deputy director to assist the director. The deputy director serves at the pleasure of the 
commissioner; 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT ,It" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1350, L.D. 1830 
4. 
Division of Quality Assurance and Regulation. 
The Division of Quality 
Assurance and Regulation, whose director must be qualified by training, experience and 
skill in food quality and regulatory inspections; 
5. Division of Animal and Plant Health. The Division of Animal and Plant Health, 
whose director must be qualified by training, experience and skill in scientific crop and 
animal production; 
6. Division of Geology and Natural Areas. The Division of Geology and Natural 
Areas, whose director must be qualified by training, experience and skill in geology, 
natural areas or applied natural sciences: and 
7. Division of Land Use Planning, Permitting and Compliance. The Division of 
Land Use Planning, Pennitting and Compliance, whose director must be qualified by 
experience in planning and administration. The director provides the principal 
administrative, operational and executive support to the Maine Land Use Regulation 
Commission. The director is subject to appointment and removal by the commissioner, 
with the consent of a majority of members of the Maine Land Use Regulation 
Commission. 
Sec. A-2. 
Legislative intent; contingent repeal. It is the intent of the 
Legislature that a bill submitted pursuant to Part B, section 4 that consolidates the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 7 and portions of Title 12 in Title 7 -A be enacted into law by the 
126th Legislature. If a bill submitted pursuant to Part B, section 4 has not been enacted 
into law by December 3,2014, Title 7-A is repealed on that date. 
Sec. A-3. Contingent revision clause. This section takes effect if the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 7-A is repealed pursuant to section 2. 
1. Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, the words "Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry" appear or reference is made to that department, 
they are amended to read or mean, as the case may be, "Department of Agriculture, Food 
and Rural Resources." 
The Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when 
updating, publishing or republishing the statutes. 
2. Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, the words "Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry" appear or reference is made to that department, 
they are amended to read or mean, as the case may be, "Department of Conservation." 
The Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or 
republishing the statutes. 
3. Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, the words "Commissioner of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry" appear or reference is made to that position, they 
are amended to read or mean, as the case may be, "Commissioner of Agriculture, Food 
and Rural Resources." 
The Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when 
updating, publishing or republishing the statutes. 
4. Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, the words "Commissioner of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry" appear or reference is made to that position, they 
are amended to read or mean, as the case may be, "Commissioner of Conservation." The 
Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or 
republishing the statutes.' 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT "I!' to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "An to H.P. 1350, L.D. 1830 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 1 in subsection 7 in the first line (page 5, line 20 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: "Title 12-A" and inserting the following: 'Title 
7-A' 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 2 in the 7th line (page 6, line 1 in L.D.) by striking 
out the following: "Title 12-A" and inserting the following: 'Title 7-A' , 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of the 2nd paragraph after the title (page 1, 
lines IS to 18 in amendment) and inserting the following: 
'Amend the bill in Part B by striking out all of section 4 (page 6, lines 16 to 23 in 
L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'Sec. B-4. Legislation; review. 
Following the development of a department 
budget pursuant to section 9, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
shall review those parts of the Maine Revised Statutes governing the Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, including but not limited to the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Titles 7, 7-A and 12. Based upon the review, the department, working with the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture, 
conservation and forestry matters, shall develop and submit a bill for introduction to the 
126th Legislature to consolidate existing law in Title 7-A, to update Title 7-A and to 
correct any errors and inconsistencies in law that result from this Act.' 
Amend the bill in Part B in section II in the 4th line (page 7, line 27 in L.D.) by 
striking out the following: "Title 12-A" and inserting the following: 'Title 7-A' , 
SUMMARY 
The bill establishes a consolidated Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry in a new Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12-A, and directs the commissioner of 
the newly consolidated department to work with the Department of Administrative and 
Financial Services, Bureau of the Budget to develop a budget for the new department and 
to develop proposed legislation to submit to the 126th Legislature to consolidate existing 
law in the new Title. 
This amendment retains those provisions of the bill that establish the consolidated 
department, but it makes the following changes: 
1. It establishes the consolidated Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7-A, rather than in Title 12-A as proposed in 
the bill; 
2. It enacts a provision expressing the intent of the Legislature that a bill to 
consolidate relevant portions of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7 and Title 12 in the 
new Title be enacted into law by the 126th Legislature; and 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
HOUSE AMENDMENT ",II" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1350, L.D. 1830 
3. It provides that if a bill that consolidates the relevant portions of the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 7 and .. Ie 12 in the new Title is not enacted into law by the date 
on which the 127th Legislatur 
onvenes, the statute that establishes the c ·soiidated 
department is repealed. 
SPONSORED BY: -...--I----=::.....-~_==---____ _ 
(Representative F' i 
TOWN: Newport 
HOUSE AMENDMENT