An Act To Expand Disabled Veteran Eligibility for Complimentary Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Licenses
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0275
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: KINNEY, CHENETTE, ESPLING, LYFORD, MARTIN, STEARNS, WINSOR, WOOD, CYRWAY, HAMPER
Amends: 12 MRSA §10853

Legislative Document
No. 275
H.P. 208
House of Representatives, January 31, 2017
An Act To Expand Disabled Veteran Eligibility for Complimentary 
Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Licenses
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative KINNEY of Limington.
Cosponsored by Senator CHENETTE of York and
Representatives: ESPLING of New Gloucester, LYFORD of Eddington, MARTIN of Eagle 
Lake, STEARNS of Guilford, WINSOR of Norway, WOOD of Greene, Senators: CYRWAY 
of Kennebec, HAMPER of Oxford.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10853, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2015, c. 281, Pt. C, §3, is 
further amended to read: 
4.  Disabled veteran.  A resident disabled veteran or, a nonresident disabled veteran 
who is a resident of New Hampshire or Vermont or a disabled veteran who is a resident 
of another state and who holds a valid hunting or fishing license in that state may obtain 
upon application, at no cost, all hunting, trapping and fishing licenses, including permits, 
stamps and other permission needed to hunt, trap and fish, and, upon meeting the 
qualifications as established in section 12853, subsection 4, a guide license.  A license 
holder under this subsection who qualifies to hunt during the special season on deer under 
section 11153 and who meets the eligibility requirements of section 11106 must be issued 
one antlerless deer permit and one either-sex permit.  The commissioner shall issue all 
fishing, trapping and hunting licenses and permits requested under this subsection if the 
commissioner determines the applicant is a disabled veteran meets the requirements of 
this subsection and is not otherwise ineligible to hold that permit or license.  For the 
purposes of this subsection, "disabled veteran" means a person who: 
A.  Is a resident as defined in section 10001, subsection 53 or is a resident of New 
Hampshire or Vermont; 
B.  Is a veteran as defined in Title 37-B, section 505, subsection 2, paragraph A, 
subparagraph (3) Was honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United 
States or the National Guard; and 
C.  Has a service-connected disability evaluated at 50% or more. 
Each application must be accompanied by satisfactory evidence that the applicant meets 
the requirements of this subsection.  An applicant for a license or permit under this 
section is subject to the provisions of this Part, including, but not limited to, a lottery or 
drawing system for issuing a particular license or permit.  A permit or license issued 
under this subsection remains valid for the life of the permit or license holder, as long as 
the permit or license holder continues to satisfy the residency requirement in section 
10001, subsection 53 or nonresident hunting or fishing license requirements and the 
permit or license issued under this subsection is not revoked or suspended.  For a resident 
of New Hampshire or Vermont to be eligible under this subsection, that resident's state 
must have a reciprocal agreement with this State. 
SUMMARY 
This bill expands eligibility for complimentary hunting, trapping and fishing licenses, 
including permits, stamps and other permissions necessary to hunt, trap and fish in 
Maine, to include nonresident disabled veterans who hold valid hunting or fishing 
licenses in the states in which they are residents.