An Act To Amend Laws Relating to Agricultural Pulling Events
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0548
Committee Amendment CA_A_H458 (House)
Amends: 7 MRSA §81, 7 MRSA §96, 7 MRSA §97, 7 MRSA §100

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 390, L.D. 548, Bill, "An Act To 
Amend Laws Relating to Agricultural Pulling Events" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §81, sub-§3-A is enacted to read: 
3-A. Driver. "Driver" means a person who drives or controls the animal that is 
pulling in a pulling event. 
Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §81, sub-§14, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, is repealed. 
Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §96, sub-§§3, 4 and 7, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, are 
amended to read: 
3. Animals subject to examination; scope; request for test. An animal entered in 
an event is subject to examination under the direction of a licensed veterinarian or an 
agent of the licensed veterinarian. The licensed veterinarian, with the approval of the 
commissioner, may appoint technicians and agents to pe1form duties under this section 
that are not prohibited by other provisions of law. 
The examination may include 
physical, saliva, urine or blood tests or other tests or procedures that the licensed 
veterinarian considers necessaiy to carry out the purposes of this section. The licensed 
veterinarian may examine an animal entered in an event if that animal is on the grounds 
of the event. The licensed veterinarian also may examine an animal withdrawn by the 
owner ol' trainer of the animal within 24 hours prior to an event for which the animal had 
been entered. The pull superintendent appointed under section 99, subsection l may 
unde1take a visual examination of any animal entered in an event and may request a 
licensed veterinarian or an agent of the licensed veterinarian to unde1take an examination 
under this subsection. 
4. Refusal to submit animal for examination. Att The owner or trainer or driver 
may not refuse to secure or restrain an animal for examination under this section by a 
licensed veterinarian or a technician or agent of the licensed veterinarian and may not 
interfere with the restraining or securing of an animal for that examination. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" f1,, to H.P. 390, L.D. 548 
7. Responsibility of owner and driver for condition of animal. In the absence of 
substantial evidence to the contrary, the owner and trainer and driver of an animal are 
responsible for the condition of the animal, including the presence of a prohibited 
substance, and are charged with knowledge of all the provisions contained in this section 
and the regulations rules adopted pursuant to this section. If a trainer the owner is 
prevented from perfo1ming the trainer's owner's duties, including responsibility for an 
animal under this subsection, by illness or other cause, or is absent from the event where 
an animal under the trainer's owner's care is entered and stabled, the train8F owner shall 
immediately shall notify the secretary or general manager of the event. At the time of 
notification, the trainer shall specify a substitute trainer and the substitute trainer shall 
place the substitute trainer's name on the entry blank. The substitute trainer has the same 
responsibilities as the trainer concerning the condition of an animal in that trainer's care. 
Sec. 4. 7 MRSA §96, sub-§8, as amended by PL 2011, c. 73, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
8. Administrative hearing; suspension. In lieu of a civil action under subsection 9, 
the commissioner may institute an administrative proceeding on any alleged violation of 
this section. 
If the commissioner institutes an administrative proceeding, the 
commissioner shall give notice and an opportunity for hearing under Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 4. Upon giving notice to a person who is alleged to be in violation of this 
section, the commissioner shall immediately prohibit that person from competing in an 
event within the State. 
This prohibition remains in effect for 3 0 days or until the 
commissioner's decision following the hearing is received, whichever occurs first, except 
that the prohibition period is extended by any delays of the hearing requested by the 
person against whom the violation is alleged. 
If the person against whom the violation is alleged does not request a hearing or if, after a 
hearing, the commissioner finds the person has committed the violation, the 
commissioner shall prohibit that person from competing in any event within the State for 
a period of~ 2 years for the first offense, 3 years for the 2nd offense and 5 years for 
the 3rd and subsequent offenses and shall also exclude the animal from competing in any 
event within the State for a period of tip-te one year. The c01mnissioner may also, in an 
adjudicatory proceeding, in lieu of a civil action under subsection 9, impose an 
administrative penalty not to exceed $1,000 for a violation of this section. 
The commissioner may establish, by rule, a schedule of administrative penalties for 
violations of this section that includes fines and prohibitions on competing. The schedule 
must be based on the severity of the violation. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection 
are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 5. 7 MRSA §96, sub-§10, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, is amended to 
read: 
10. 
Suspension. 
When a violation is adjudicated under subsection 9, the 
commissioner shall immediately suspend the person adjudicated to have committed the 
violation from participating in events for a period of 2 years for the first offense, 3 years 
for the 2nd offense and 5 years for the 3rd and subsequent offenses and shall also exclude 
the animal involved from competing in any event for a period of one year. An action by 
the commissioner based upon an adjudication under this section is automatic, and there is 
no right to a hearing before the commissioner on the suspension. 
A person who 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"(~" to H.P. 390, L.D. 548 
participated in an event during any period of suspension or prohibition ordered by the 
commissioner under this subsection or subsection 8 and the owner and trainer of any 
animal that competes during a period of suspension or prohibition commit an additional 
violation of this section. 
Sec. 6. 7 MRSA §96, sub-§12, 1C, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, is 
amended to read: 
C. Only a licensed veterinarian or a trainer an owner acting under the direction of a 
licensed veterinarian may administer medication. The tramer owner may administer 
medication under the direction of a licensed veterinarian if the licensed veterinarian 
has assumed responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of the 
animal, has sufficient knowledge of the animal to make a general or preliminaty 
diagnosis of the animal and is readily available to care for the animal in the event of 
an adverse reaction to medication or the failure of a trainer the owner to adhere to a 
therapy regimen. 
Sec. 7. 7 MRSA §97, sub-§4, 1A, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, is amended 
to read: 
A. All teamsters drivers who are to compete in contests must have their teams ready 
at the published starting time. All classes must be closed after the positions are 
drawn. Classes must start as nearly as possible to the published time. 
Sec. 8. 7 MRSA §97, sub-§4, 1~, L and N, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, 
are amended to read: 
I. Any number of helpers is allowed to help hitch. After hitch-on, there may be no 
more than 2 helpers. The helpers shall stay behind the drag unless needed to help the 
teamster driver. The helpers may not have a stick. This paragraph applies to distance 
pulls only. 
L. Heading of horses or oxen is not allowed. One inch pulled constitutes a hitch. 
Stepping over the rail counts as a hitch and 5 minutes are allowed for hitching. Three 
attempts may be made within that period. Time taken out to position the drag for the 
next pull may not be counted. Teamsters Drivers may not be changed after the first 
load is pulled. A team deliberately driven over the rail is disqualified from the 
contest. In case of a tie on the longest distance, the 2nd-longest distances already 
pulled will take first place. Persons acting as eveners shall remain quiet after hitching 
on. This paragraph does not apply to distance pulls. 
N. A substantial barrier must be maintained at the end of the ring toward which the 
pull is proceeding to prevent or substantially impede runaways. A teamster driver 
losing control of the team is disqualified immediately. 
Sec. 9. 7 MRSA §97, sub-§4, ~ 
is enacted to read: 
R. An animal must have an ear tag or microchip implant for identification purposes. 
The pull superintendent or the assistant pull superintendent shall verify the animal's 
identification at the time of weigh-in and at the time of entry. 
Sec. 10. 7 MRSA §100, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 563, §3, is amended to 
read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" fi' to H.P. 390, L.D. 548 
1. Violation by driver. Upon receipt of a written report alleging that a teamster 
driver has violated the laws or rules governing pulling events, the Pull Events 
Commission may after a hearing disqualify a teamster driver from participation in pulling 
events.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment: 
1. Adds a definition of "driver" to the laws governing agricultural fairs and pulling 
events and replaces the term "teamster" with "driver" in those laws; 
2. Allows a pull superintendent to visually examine an animal in an event and to 
request a veterinarian to unde1iake a more thorough examination when appropriate; 
3. Provides that the driver is responsible, along with the owner, for an animal's 
condition, including whether it is has been administered a prohibited substance; and 
4. Increases the penalties for a driver or owner found to be in violation of the laws 
governing prohibited substances in an animal competing in a pulling event from a full 2-
year suspension in the bill to 2 years for a first offense, 3 years for a 2nd offense and 5 
years for 3rd and subsequent offenses. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 06/01/17 feac 
LD 548 
LR 708(02) 
An Act To Amend Laws Relating to Agricultural Pulling Events 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment •{f CH. lJ,5'8) 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Any additional costs to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry as a result of changes to the laws 
related to agricultural pulling events are anticipated to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted 
resources. 
LR0708(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of 1