An Act To Expand Eligibility for Lobster and Crab Fishing Licenses for Veterans
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0492
Committee: Marine Resources
Sponsors: KUMIEGA, MIRAMANT, ALLEY, DEVIN, PIERCE
Amends: 12 MRSA §6421

Legislative Document 
No. 492 
H.P. 331 
House of Representatives, February 24, 2015 
An Act To Expand Eligibility for Lobster and Crab Fishing Licenses 
for Veterans 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Marine Resources suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative KUMIEGA of Deer Isle. 
Cosponsored by Senator MIRAMANT of Knox and 
Representatives: ALLEY of Beals, DEVIN of Newcastle, PIERCE of Dresden. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, veterans of military service have served our State and our country; and 
Whereas, veterans who held a lobster and crab fishing license prior to or during the 
person's military service may not be eligible for a new license because of military service 
obligations; and 
Whereas, those veterans should remain eligible for a lobster and crab fishing license 
without meeting the requirements of the apprentice program; and 
Whereas, this legislation needs to take effect before the fishing season starts; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§5, ¶C, as amended by PL 2011, c. 486, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
C.  Meets the requirements of the apprentice program under section 6422; or 
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§5, ¶D, as corrected by RR 2001, c. 2, Pt. A, §15, 
is amended to read: 
D.  Did not possess a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license in 
the previous calendar year because the commissioner had suspended the person's 
license privileges for a length of time that included the previous calendar year.; or 
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§5, ¶I is enacted to read: 
I.  Is a veteran, as defined in 38 United States Code, Section 101(2), and: 
(1) Began active military, naval or air service prior to November 1, 2015; 
(2) Held a lobster and crab fishing license that was issued prior to or during the 
person's active military, naval or air service, which was not suspended or 
revoked; and 
(3) Reported lobster or crab landings to the department during the time the person 
held the lobster and crab fishing license. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides that a veteran who was honorably discharged, began military 
service prior to November 1, 2015, previously held a lobster or crab fishing license that 
was not revoked or suspended and reported lobster or crab landings to the Department of 
Marine Resources under that license is eligible to obtain a Class I, Class II or Class III 
lobster and crab fishing license.