An Act To Require Forest Rangers To Be Trained at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1945
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: NADEAU, DILL, DOORE, FARNSWORTH, FECTEAU, HICKMAN, LANDRY, MARTIN, CHENETTE, ROSEN
Amends: 25 MRSA §2803-A

Legislative Document
No. 1945
H.P. 1389
House of Representatives, January 8, 2020
An Act To Require Forest Rangers To Be Trained at the Maine 
Criminal Justice Academy
(EMERGENCY)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203.
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative NADEAU of Winslow.
Cosponsored by Senator DILL of Penobscot and
Representatives: DOORE of Augusta, FARNSWORTH of Portland, FECTEAU of Biddeford, 
HICKMAN of Winthrop, LANDRY of Farmington, MARTIN of Eagle Lake, Senators: 
CHENETTE of York, ROSEN of Hancock.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, this legislation needs to take effect before the expiration of the 90-day 
period in order to ensure that certain forest rangers complete the basic law enforcement 
training program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy as soon as possible; 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.  25 MRSA §2803-A, sub-§8-D, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 456, §3, is 
amended to read:
8-D.  Training of forest rangers.  To establish certification standards and a training 
program for the state supervisor of the forest protection unit of the Bureau of Forestry 
within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and forest rangers 
appointed under Title 12, section 8901.  This program must include:
A.  Preservice law enforcement training under section 2804-B;
B.  An additional basic forest ranger training program developed by the state 
supervisor of the forest protection unit of the Bureau of Forestry within the 
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and approved by the board 
that is specific to the duties of a forest ranger;
C.  In-service law enforcement training that is specifically approved by the board as 
prescribed in section 2804-E; and
D.  A firearms training program equivalent to a firearms training program of a full-
time law enforcement officer trained at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy that is 
developed and approved by the board.
A forest ranger hired on or after July 1, 2019 shall complete basic training under section 
2804-C.
Forest ranger pilots regardless of hire date and forest rangers hired prior to July 1, 2019 
are exempt from basic training under section 2804-C, but completion of basic training 
under section 2804-C exempts a person from the preservice training requirement under 
paragraph A;
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill requires forest rangers hired on or after July 1, 2019 to complete the basic 
law enforcement training program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.  It exempts 
forest ranger pilots, regardless of when they were hired, and forest rangers hired prior to 
July 1, 2019 from the requirement to complete this basic law enforcement training 
program.