An Act To Protect the Health and Safety of Maine State Park Visitors and Staff
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1246
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: CAIAZZO, BERRY, DOUDERA, HIGGINS, SKOLFIELD, BLACK, CARPENTER, FARRIN
Amends: 12 MRSA §1804

Legislative Document
No. 1246
H.P. 907
House of Representatives, March 14, 2019
An Act To Protect the Health and Safety of Maine State Park 
Visitors and Staff
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative CAIAZZO of Scarborough.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, DOUDERA of Camden, 
HIGGINS of Dover-Foxcroft, SKOLFIELD of Weld, Senators: BLACK of Franklin, 
CARPENTER of Aroostook, FARRIN of Somerset.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §1804, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2001, c. 604, §4; PL 2011, 
c. 657, Pt. W, §7; and PL 2013, c. 405, Pt. A, §24, is further amended to read:
5.  Bureau budget.  Prepare and submit to the commissioner the budget for the 
bureau; and
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §1804, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 604, §5 and amended 
by PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §7 and PL 2013, c. 405, Pt. A, §24, is further amended to read:
6.  Restrictions on public access.  Post notice of any restrictions to public access at 
points commonly used to access the land or at a facility or structure where such rules and 
notices are regularly posted.  The director may restrict public access to any portion of the 
land or waters within the bureau's jurisdiction when the restrictions reasonably relate to 
protecting public health, safety or welfare or the economic interests or natural resources 
of the State.; and
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §1804, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
7.  Minimum staffing levels.  Determine minimum levels of staffing for all state 
parks, except Baxter State Park, and historic sites and national parks that are controlled 
and managed by the State.  When making a determination of staffing levels under this 
subsection, the director shall consider for each park and historic site the following:
A.  Visitor capacity limits;
B.  Historical data regarding visitor use;
C.  Availability of local emergency response services;
D.  If local emergency response services are used, response time of emergency 
response;
E.  Distance to medical services;
F.  Communication capacity of staff to summon emergency response services or 
assistance;
G.  Relative to emergency response, training and authority levels of staff;
H.  Emergency planning issues specific to a park or historic site;
I.  Historical record of emergency response incidents and near misses; and
J.  Historical record of severe weather emergencies.
For purposes of this subsection, historical data must include 10 years of data at a 
minimum.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the 
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to determine minimum levels of 
staffing for all state parks, except Baxter State Park, and historic sites and national parks 
that are controlled and managed by the State.  The bill also requires the director to 
consider a list of factors, including, but not limited to, visitor capacity limits, availability 
of emergency response services and emergency planning issues specific to a park or 
historic site, when making a determination of staffing levels for each park or historic site.