An Act To Enhance Collaboration among State Agencies To Improve Landowner Relations
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0649
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: COREY, BREEN, BRYANT, FAY, KESCHL, MAREAN, NADEAU, STEARNS, DIAMOND, DILL
Amends: 12 MRSA §10108

Legislative Document
No. 649
H.P. 470
House of Representatives, February 7, 2019
An Act To Enhance Collaboration among State Agencies To 
Improve Landowner Relations
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative COREY of Windham.
Cosponsored by Senator BREEN of Cumberland and
Representatives: BRYANT of Windham, FAY of Raymond, KESCHL of Belgrade, MAREAN 
of Hollis, NADEAU of Winslow, STEARNS of Guilford, Senators: DIAMOND of 
Cumberland, DILL of Penobscot.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10108, sub-§4-A, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 576, §3, is 
amended to read:
4-A.  Landowner relations program.  The commissioner shall develop and 
implement a landowner relations program, referred to in this section subsection as "the 
program."
A.  The program must:
(1)  Encourage landowners to allow outdoor recreationists access to their 
property to hunt, fish or engage in other outdoor recreational pursuits;
(2)  Foster good relationships between landowners and outdoor recreationists; 
and
(3)  Promote high standards of courtesy, respect and responsibility by outdoor 
recreationists in their relations with landowners.
B.  The commissioner shall appoint a landowner relations coordinator to oversee the 
program and any other landowner relations activities of the department.
C.  To the extent resources allow, the program must include the following elements:
(1)  Building and maintaining an educated and motivated group of outdoor 
recreationists who meet and promote high standards of courtesy, respect and 
responsibility in their relations with landowners and who are willing to volunteer 
in program-related projects or efforts to improve landowner relations;
(2)  Issuing a certificate to persons wishing to support or participate in the 
program. The commissioner may establish a fee for the certificate, which may not 
exceed $20.  All proceeds from the fees must be deposited in the Landowner 
Relations Fund established in section 10265;
(3)  Developing and disseminating to outdoor recreationists a code of ethics or 
other information promoting high standards of courtesy, respect and 
responsibility in their relations with landowners;
(4)  Developing an outreach program that provides educational materials and 
signs and that disseminates information to landowners and land users about 
landowner rights, landowner liability protections, the tradition of allowing 
outdoor recreationists to use private land and law enforcement resources 
available to landowners; 
(5)  Engaging organizations and companies representing landowners, 
conservation groups, recreationists, land trusts and other organizations involved 
in outdoor recreation in developing, implementing and publicizing the program; 
(6)  Organizing or otherwise promoting landowner appreciation events;
(7)  Working with representatives of various state agencies to promote and 
broaden public access to private lands for recreational use and to enhance 
enforcement of applicable laws; and
(8)  Seeking and developing sources of funding to support the program.
D.  All state agencies and in particular the Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry, the Department of Marine Resources and the Department of Economic 
and Community Development shall collaborate with the department to implement the 
program.  The department shall organize the collaboration to distribute as evenly as 
practicable the burden experienced by the various agencies arising from the public 
use of private lands.
SUMMARY
This bill directs all state agencies and in particular the Department of Agriculture, 
Conservation and Forestry, the Department of Marine Resources and the Department of 
Economic and Community Development to collaborate with the Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife to implement the landowner relations program.  This bill directs 
the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to organize the collaboration to distribute 
as evenly as practicable the burden experienced by the various agencies arising from the 
public use of private lands.