An Act To Amend Forester Licensing Requirements
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1735
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: CUSHING, FREDETTE, THOMAS, VOLK
Amends: 32 MRSA §5514, 32 MRSA §5515, 32 MRSA §5516

Legislative Document 
No. 1735 
S.P. 687 
In Senate, January 16, 2014 
An Act To Amend Forester Licensing Requirements 
Submitted by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation pursuant to Joint 
Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
suggested and ordered printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator CUSHING of Penobscot. 
Cosponsored by Representative FREDETTE of Newport and 
Senator: THOMAS of Somerset, Representative: VOLK of Scarborough. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §5514, sub-§3, ¶C, as amended by PL 2003, c. 364, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
C.  The applicant shall submit 3 references from persons demonstrating the 
applicant's good character to work as an intern forester.  One of the references must 
be from the individual provide the name of the person who is proposed to serve as the 
sponsor. 
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §5515, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 261, §4, is repealed 
and the following enacted in its place: 
3.  Internship.  An applicant for a forester license shall complete an internship as 
follows. 
A.  An applicant with an associate degree or no degree shall demonstrate 48 months 
of forestry experience as an intern forester or as provided in this paragraph pursuant 
to rules adopted by the board.  Notwithstanding the licensure requirements under this 
subchapter, an applicant with an associate degree may earn up to 12 months of 
forestry experience toward the 48-month requirement prior to the issuance of an 
intern forester license if: 
(1)  The forestry experience is obtained after the applicant has completed the first 
year of an associate degree program and prior to graduation from that program 
and is under the supervision of a forester registered with the board pursuant to 
subsection 10, paragraph B; or 
(2)  The applicant can demonstrate lawful prior professional forestry practice in 
another jurisdiction. 
An applicant under this paragraph must complete the 48 months of experience within 
calendar years prior to application. 
B.  An applicant with a bachelor's degree or higher shall demonstrate 24 months of 
forestry experience as an intern forester or as provided in this paragraph pursuant to 
rules adopted by the board.  An applicant with a bachelor's degree or higher may earn 
up to 12 months of forestry experience toward the 24-month requirement prior to the 
issuance of an intern forester license if: 
(1)  The forestry experience is obtained after the applicant has completed the 
junior year of the bachelor's degree program and prior to graduation and is under 
the supervision of a forester registered with the board pursuant to subsection 10, 
paragraph B; or 
(2)  The applicant can demonstrate lawful prior professional forestry practice in 
another jurisdiction. 
An applicant under this paragraph must complete the 24 months of experience within 
calendar years prior to application. 
Sec. 3.  32 MRSA §5515, sub-§§4 and 5, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 261, §4, are 
amended to read: 
4.  Recommendation.  The applicant shall submit references from 3 foresters 
familiar with the applicant's forestry practice.  At least one of the references must be a 
reference from the sponsor, unless the sponsor is unavailable as a reference through no 
fault of the applicant.  An applicant exempted under subsection 5 shall submit references 
a reference from 3 a forestry professionals professional familiar with the applicant's 
forestry practice. 
5.  Exemption to internship; professional practice in another jurisdiction.  
Notwithstanding subsection 3, the board may waive the internship requirement, as set 
forth in subsection 3, for an applicant who has at least 24 months of lawful prior 
professional forestry practice in another jurisdiction within the 6-year period prior to 
application, as long as the practice is determined by the board to be substantially 
equivalent to the successful completion of forestry internship under subsection 3 pursuant 
to rules adopted by the board. 
Sec. 4.  32 MRSA §5515, sub-§5-A is enacted to read: 
5-A.  Exemption to internship; professional practice as a federal employee.  
Notwithstanding subsection 3, the board may waive the internship requirement, as set 
forth in subsection 3, for an applicant who has at least 24 months of prior professional 
forestry practice as an employee of the Federal Government within the 6-year period 
prior to application pursuant to rules adopted by the board. 
Sec. 5.  32 MRSA §5515, sub-§6, as amended by PL 2007, c. 402, Pt. T, §10, is 
further amended to read: 
6.  Examination.  Each applicant for a forester license shall submit an application 
and examination fee as set under section 5507 and successfully pass an examination 
approved by the board designed to test an individual's knowledge to engage in the 
practice of forestry.  Applicants must meet all other qualifications for licensure prior to 
taking the examination except that an applicant with a degree in forestry from a school or 
college approved by the board pursuant to rules adopted by the board may take the 
examination prior to meeting all of the qualifications for licensure.  
Sec. 6.  32 MRSA §5516, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 261, §4, is repealed. 
Sec. 7.  32 MRSA §5516, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 261, §4 and amended 
by PL 2011, c. 286, Pt. B, §5, is further amended to read: 
2.  Applicants licensed in another jurisdiction.  An applicant who is licensed under 
the laws of another jurisdiction is governed by this subsection. 
A.  An applicant who is licensed under the laws of a jurisdiction that has a reciprocal 
agreement with the board may obtain a license upon the terms and conditions as 
agreed upon through the reciprocal agreement. 
B.  An applicant who is licensed in good standing under the laws of a another 
jurisdiction that has not entered into a reciprocal agreement with the board may 
qualify for licensure by submitting evidence satisfactory to the board that the 
applicant has met all of the qualifications for licensure equivalent to those set forth by 
this subchapter for that level of licensure pursuant to rules adopted by the board, 
including, but not limited to, passing the examination as required by section 5515, 
subsection 6. 
C.  All nonresident license applicants shall submit with the application an irrevocable 
consent that service of process on the applicant for an action filed in a court of this 
State arising out of the applicant's activities as a forester in this State may be made by 
delivery of the process to the Director of the Office of Professional and Occupational 
Regulation if, in the exercise of due diligence, a plaintiff can not effect personal 
service upon the applicant. 
Sec. 8.  Transition.  An applicant for a forester license pursuant to the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 32, chapter 76, subchapter 3 who possesses an intern forester 
license issued prior to the effective date of this Act is required to meet the qualifications 
for a forester license in effect at the time of the issuance of the intern forester license. 
Sec. 9.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect June 1, 2015. 
SUMMARY 
This bill changes the laws governing the licensure of foresters to repeal the 
requirement for an applicant for an intern forester license or forester license to submit 3 
references as part of the license application.  The bill also makes several other changes, 
including allowing certain persons to engage in forestry before being licensed, allowing a 
holder of a forestry degree from an approved school to take the examination before 
meeting all qualifications for licensure, making changes in the forester licensing laws 
regarding reciprocal agreements and adding a new provision to permit the Board of 
Licensure of Foresters to waive the internship requirement for an applicant who has at 
least 24 months of forestry experience as an employee of the Federal Government within 
the 6-year period prior to application.