An Act To Abolish the Inland Fisheries and Wildlift~ Advisory Council
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0128
Committee Amendment CA_B_S257 (Senate)
Amends: 12 MRSA §1015, 12 MRSA §10151

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" 6 " to S.P. 49, L.D. 128, Bill, "An Act To Abolish 
the Inland Fisheries and Wildlift~ Advisory Council" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory 
Council' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 1 to 4 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §1015i1, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and 
affected by c. 614, §9, is amendt~d to read: 
1. Appointment. The Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council, established 
by Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 20 and referred to in this Part as the "advisory 
council," consists of 10 members representing the 16 counties of the State in the 
following manner: one member representing Androscoggin County, Kennebec County 
and Sagadahoc County; one member representing Aroostook County; one member 
representing Cumberland Coun~y; one member representing Franklin County and Oxford 
County; one member representing Hancock County; one member representing Knox 
County, Lincoln County and Waldo County; one member representing Penobscot 
County; one member representing Piscataquis County and Somerset County; one member 
representing Washington County; and one member representing York County. Members 
of the advisory council are appointed by the Governor, subject to review by the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over fisheries and wildlife 
matters and to confirmation by the Legislature. The commissioner or the commissioner's 
designee is a nonvoting, ex officio member of the advisory council, but may vote to break 
a tie. 
An employee of the department may not serve as a member of the advisory council prior 
to the expiration of one year from that employee's last day of employment with the 
department. A Legislator may not serve as a member of the advisory council. A former 
Legislator who was a member of the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over fisheries and w:ildlife matters may not serve as a member of the advisory 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "13" to S.P. 49, L.D. 128 
council prior to the expiration of one year from that former Legislator's last day of 
membership on that committee. 
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §10151, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2011, c. 668, §2, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
4. Duties. The advisory council shall: 
C. Hold regular meetings with the commissioner or the deputy commissioner to 
provide information and advice on enhancing fisheries and wildlife resource 
management in the State; 
D. Form stakeholder groups with relevant areas of expertise to obtain information 
and make recommendations on enhancing fisheries and wildlife resource 
II 
management in the State; 
E. Convene stakeholder group meetings at least annually in areas of the State where 
deer populations need to be enhanced; 
F. 
Attend public hearings on rules proposed by the commissioner and make 
recommendations based on public and stakeholder input regarding those rules; and 
G. Provide and present a written annual summary of the advisory council's activities 
and accomplishments to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife matters.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 6. 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the minority report of the committee. The bill abolishes the 
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council. This amendment instead amends the 
laws governing the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council in order to realign the 
advisory council's formal duties to convening stakeholder groups and providing 
information and advice to the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to enhance 
fisheries and wildlife resource management in the State. With these revised duties, the 
advisory council no longer renders to the commissioner information and advice 
concerning the administration of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The 
amendment retains the bill's provision removing the advisory council's authority upon 
appeal to restore hunting license privileges to petitioners whose privileges have been 
revoked or suspended and the restoration of which the commissioner has disallowed. 
However, where rulemaking is concerned, this amendment preserves the advisory 
council's role of providing advice and consent to the commissioner. The amendment 
allows the commissioner's designee to be a member of the advisory council. Finally, this 
amendment requires that the advisory council provide and present annually a written 
summary of its activities and accomplishments to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife matters. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT