An Act To Fund Wildlife Rehabilitators
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1012
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: FAY
Amends: 12 MRSA §10307, 12 MRSA §10309

Legislative Document
No. 1012
H.P. 750
House of Representatives, March 10, 2021
An Act To Fund Wildlife Rehabilitators
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FAY of Raymond.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, the work of wildlife rehabilitators requires funding; and
Whereas, the next deadline for Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund grant applicants to start 
the grant application process is July 15, 2021, which is before the expiration of the 90-day 
period; 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.  12 MRSA §10307, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and 
affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
1.  Fisheries and wildlife; habitat conservation.  Thirty-five Thirty percent of the 
money in the fund for fisheries and wildlife and habitat conservation projects;
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §10307, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and 
affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
3.  Endangered and threatened species.  Fifteen Ten percent of the money in the fund 
for endangered and threatened species conservation projects; and
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §10307, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and 
affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
4.  Natural resources law enforcement.  Fifteen percent of the money in the fund for 
natural resources law enforcement.; and
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §10307, sub-§5 is enacted to read:
5.  Wildlife rehabilitation.  Ten percent of the money in the fund for wildlife 
rehabilitation projects.
Sec. 5.  12 MRSA §10309, sub-§3, ¶F, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 
and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
F.  Available matching funds; and
Sec. 6.  12 MRSA §10309, sub-§4, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 
and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
E.  Available matching funds.; and
Sec. 7.  12 MRSA §10309, sub-§5 is enacted to read:
5.  Wildlife rehabilitation.  For the category of wildlife rehabilitation:
A.  A species or species group under subsection 1;
B.  A species or species group under subsection 3;
C.  Fish or wildlife of statewide or regional significance;
D.  Education for the public concerning native wildlife; and
E.  Available matching funds.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill creates a new project category for natural resources agencies that are applying 
for a grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund.  The new category is wildlife 
rehabilitation and includes criteria for the board to take into account when considering and 
awarding grants to projects under that category.  The new category represents 10% of 
available annual grant money, reallocating funding from 2 other existing categories.