An Act To Require Forest Rangers To Be Trained in Order To Allow Them To Carry Firearms
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0297
Committee Amendment CA_A_H608 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A " to H.P. 206, L.D. 297, Bill, "An Act To 
Require Forest Rangers To Be Trained in Order To Allow Them To Carry Firearms" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. Law enforcement training for forest rangers policy. The Director of 
the Bureau of Forestry within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
shall develop and institute a policy that requires all forest rangers appointed by the 
director pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 8901, subsection 1 to 
attend a law enforcement training course at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy as a 
condition of employment. The policy must exempt those forest rangers who have 
previously attended a preservice law enforcement training course or a basic law 
enforc,ement course at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. The policy must require 
forest rangers to attend and complete at least 7 hours of firearms classroom work and at 
least 40 hours of firearms training on a firing range taught by a firearms instructor 
certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. 
In addition, forest rangers shall 
complete at least 8 hours of training regarding the use of force taught by the Office of the 
Attorney General and at least another 8 hours of training on weapon retention and 
use-of-force scenarios taught by a Maine Criminal Justice Academy instructor.' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in the 2nd line (page 1, line 17 in L.D.) by striking out the 
following: "Division" and inserting the following: 'Bureau' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in the last line (page 1, line 28 in L.D.) by striking out the 
following: "2013" and inserting the following: '2014' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in the last line (page 1, line 28 in L.D.) by striking out the 
following: "2014" and inserting the following: '2016' 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 3 the following: 
'Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. 
The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 206, L.D. 297 
Division of Forest Protection Z232 
Initiative: Provides funding for firearms, vests and other related equipment in fiscal year 
2014-15. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Division of Forest Protection Z232 
2013-14 
$0 
$0 
2014-15 
$60,861 
$60,861 
Initiative: Provides funding in fiscal year 2014-15 for training and overtime incurred 
while forest rangers are training. 
GENERAL FUND 
Personal Services 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND 
FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
GENERAL FUND 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
SUMMARY 
2013-14 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2013-14 
$0 
$0 
2014-15 
$18,909 
$7,049 . 
$25,958 
2014-15 
$86,819 
$86,819 
This amendment is the majority report. It removes the requirement that forest rangers 
complete firearms training by a date certain and instead requires forest rangers with 
limited enforcement powers under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 8901 to 
take at least 7 hours of firearms classroom work and at least 40 hours of firearms training 
on a firing range taught by an instructor certified by the Maine Criminal Justice 
Academy. 
In addition, it requires forest rangers to take at least 8 hours of training 
regarding the use of force taught by the Office of the Attorney General and at least 
another 8 hours of training on weapon retention and use-of-force scenarios taught by a 
Maine Criminal Justice Academy instructor. 
The bill requires the State Supervisor of the forest protection unit in the Bureau of 
Forestry and the director of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to develop a plan to 
provide training to forest rangers in the use of firearms, bulletproof vests and other 
related equipment. The State Supervisor is directed to develop a plan to furnish such 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT·A "to H.P. 206, L.D. 297 
firearms and equipment to those forest rangers for the performance of their law 
enforcement duties. 
This amendment changes the date by which the plans must be 
reported and implemented from November 1, 2013 to November 1, 2014 and from 
January I, 2014 to January I, 2016, respectively. 
This amendment also adds an 
appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 02/07/14 
~ae 
LD297 
LR 224(02) 
An Act To Require Forest Rangers To Be Trained in Order To Allow Them To Carry Firearms 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment if' (H -6oi;) 
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2013-14 
FY 2014-15 
$0 
$86,819 
$0 
$86,819 
Projections 
FY 2015-16 
$90,013 
$90,013 
The bill includes General Fund appropriations of$60,86l in FY 15 and will require the same in FY 
for the costs of purchasing guns, vests and other related equipment at current state contract prices 
for use by Forest Rangers and certain other positions. The bill requires implementation of a training 
program by January 1,2016 that requires a 64-hour course on firearms training at the Maine Criminal 
Justice Academy. The bill includes a General Fund appropriation of$7,049 in FY 15 and will require 
the same in FY 16 for the costs of the training course. The bill will require General Fund 
appropriations of$3,194 in FY 16, growing to $6,387 in subsequent years for ongoing training. The 
bill includes General Fund appropriations of $18,909 in FY 15 and will require the same in FY 16 for 
overtime costs associated with initial training. 
It is likely that the Forest Ranger positions will be reclassified in the future due to their increased 
responsibilities from operating a firearm. This cost is estimated to be $2,980 for each of the 55 Forest 
Ranger positions, totaling $163,900. 
TRO??4fO?) - Fi~cHl Note - Palle 1 of 1 
Projections 
FY 2016-17 
$6,387 
$6,387