An Act To Clarify the Law Enforcement Powers of the Bureau of Parks and Lands
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0657
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: SKOLFIELD, BLACK, FAY, KINNEY, LANDRY, PICKETT, TUELL, DAVIS, FARRIN
Amends: 12 MRSA §1806, 25 MRSA §2801-B, 25 MRSA §2803-A

Legislative Document
No. 657
H.P. 484
House of Representatives, March 3, 2021
An Act To Clarify the Law Enforcement Powers of the Bureau of 
Parks and Lands
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 1, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SKOLFIELD of Weld.
Cosponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin and
Representatives: FAY of Raymond, KINNEY of Knox, LANDRY of Farmington, PICKETT 
of Dixfield, TUELL of East Machias, Senators: DAVIS of Piscataquis, FARRIN of Somerset.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §1806, as amended by PL 2009, c. 211, Pt. B, §3; PL 2011, c. 
657, Pt. W, §7; and PL 2013, c. 405, Pt. A, §24, is further amended to read:
§1806.  Enforcement
The bureau may shall coordinate and exercise law enforcement power over the land 
and water within the bureau's jurisdiction. The provisions in this section apply to law 
enforcement within the jurisdiction of the bureau.
1.  Powers of law enforcement officers.  A law enforcement officer may issue a 
written summons to any person the officer has probable cause to believe has committed or 
is committing a bureau rule violation, a civil violation or a crime.  Any law enforcement 
officer may detain or arrest, with or without a warrant, any person the officer has probable 
cause to believe has committed or is committing a crime.
2.  Powers of bureau staff or agents.  The director may authorize an employee or 
agent of the bureau to issue a written summons to any person who the employee or agent 
has probable cause to believe has committed or is committing a civil violation or a crime.  
The director may authorize an employee or agent of the bureau authorized under subsection 
2-A, the to detain or arrest any person who the employee or agent has probable cause to 
believe has committed or is committing a crime.  The director shall notify the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over parks and public lands matters in 
writing prior to adopting a policy that authorizes employees or agents of the bureau to make 
arrests.
2-A.  Park rangers with law enforcement powers.  The director may appoint park 
rangers with law enforcement powers to provide staffing determined to be necessary under 
section 1804, subsection 7.  Each park ranger appointed under this subsection must meet 
the training requirements of Title 25, section 2803-A, subsection 8-E.
3.  Civil violations.  Except for violations of section 1880 or rules adopted to 
implement section 1880, a person who violates a rule adopted by the bureau under this 
chapter commits a civil violation for which a forfeiture of not more than $500 may be 
adjudged.
4.  Criminal offenses.  In addition to offenses designated as crimes elsewhere in 
statute, a person commits a Class E crime if while within the jurisdiction of the bureau the 
person in fact:
A.  Removes, molests, injures or damages anything natural, material, prehistoric or 
historic, except as authorized by the bureau or allowed by laws and rules relating to 
hunting, fishing and trapping;
B.  Removes, mutilates, defaces, or destroys a notice or rule posted by the bureau or a 
lawfully erected monument or marker;
C.  Mutilates, defaces, destroys, moves off station or sinks any buoy, beacon or marking 
device placed by the State either floating on the waters of the State or permanently 
fixed to land or a structure adjacent to the waters of the State;
D.  Moors or in any manner fastens a vessel, boat, scow or raft to any buoy or beacon 
placed by the State in any waters of this State or to any permanent structure placed by 
the State in any waters of this State except for a dock, wharf or other structure placed 
for that purpose;
E.  Possesses a loaded weapon in violation of park rules or in areas closed to hunting 
by rule, law or ordinance;
F.  Discharges any firearm, bow and arrow, weapon powered by carbon dioxide 
cartridges or other weapon within 300 feet of any picnic area, designated camping area, 
parking area, building, shelter or boat launching site or in violation of park rules or in 
areas closed to hunting by rule, law or ordinance;
G.  Commits unauthorized access by motorized vehicle, boat or aircraft in violation of 
bureau rules;
H.  Violates the requirements for a youth camp trip leader permit issued under section 
12860; or
I.  Enters land or waters to which access has been restricted under section 1804.
Sec. 2.  25 MRSA §2801-B, sub-§1, ¶B, as repealed and replaced by PL 2001, c. 
710, §11 and affected by §12 and amended by PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §§5 and 7 and PL 
2013, c. 405, Pt. A, §24, is repealed.
Sec. 3.  25 MRSA §2801-B, sub-§1, ¶B-1 is enacted to read:
B-1.  A park ranger appointed under Title 12, section 1806, subsection 2-A;
Sec. 4.  25 MRSA §2803-A, sub-§8-E is enacted to read:
8-E.  Training of park rangers.  To establish certification standards and a training 
program for park rangers appointed under Title 12, section 1806, subsection 2-A.  This 
program must include:
A.  Preservice law enforcement training under section 2804-B;
B.  An additional basic park ranger training program developed by the Director of the 
Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry and approved by the board that is specific to the duties of a park 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;
SUMMARY
This bill requires, rather than authorizes as under current law, the Bureau of Parks and 
Lands within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to coordinate and 
exercise law enforcement power within the bureau's jurisdiction.  The bill authorizes the 
director of the bureau to appoint park rangers with law enforcement powers.
The bill directs the Board of Trustees of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to 
establish certification standards and a training program for park rangers.