An Act to Ban the Hunting of Animals in Enclosed Areas
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1068
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: CHIPMAN, DOUDERA, DODGE, SAYRE, WILLIAMS
Amends: 7 MRSA §1332, 7 MRSA §1333, 7 MRSA §1751, 7 MRSA §1752, 7 MRSA §4011, 7 MRSA §4015, 12 MRSA §11229, 17 MRSA §1031, 17 MRSA §1037

Legislative Document
No. 1068
S.P. 437
In Senate, March 7, 2023
An Act to Ban the Hunting of Animals in Enclosed Areas
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator CHIPMAN of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative DOUDERA of Camden and
Representatives: DODGE of Belfast, SAYRE of Kennebunk, WILLIAMS of Bar Harbor.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA §1332, as amended by PL 2009, c. 249, §1, is further amended to 
read:
§1332.  Animal Industry Fund
The Treasurer of State shall establish a separate account known as the Animal Industry 
Fund.  This fund does not lapse but must be carried forward.  Except as provided in section 
1346, license License fees collected under section 1333, subsection 3 and license and 
tagging fees collected under section 1342, subsections 3 and 4 and section 1342‑A must be 
deposited in the account.  Funds from this account may be used to pay for administrative 
costs associated with licenses issued under sections section 1333, 1342 and 1342‑A, tags 
issued under section 1342 and other costs associated with administration and enforcement 
of this chapter and chapter 202‑A.
Sec. 2.  7 MRSA §1333, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 386, §6, is amended to 
read:
2.  License.  The commissioner may issue a license for the propagation, possession, 
purchase or sale of cervids.  A holder of a license issued pursuant to this subsection may 
raise cervids at any season of the year.  The fee for a license is $20 a year.  Except as 
provided in section 1346, a A license fee must be deposited in the Animal Industry Fund 
established in section 1332.
Sec. 3.  7 MRSA c. 202-A, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 4.  7 MRSA §1751, first ¶, as amended by PL 2005, c. 146, §1, is further 
amended to read:
As used in this chapter and chapters 201, 202, 202‑A, 207, 301 and 305, unless the 
context otherwise indicates, the following words have the following meanings.
Sec. 5.  7 MRSA §1751, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2003, c. 386, §13, is further 
amended to read:
2.  Domestic animals.  "Domestic animals" means cattle, equines, goats, sheep, swine, 
cats, dogs, domesticated cervids or other domesticated animals; large game as defined in 
section 1341, subsection 5; and poultry.
Sec. 6.  7 MRSA §1752, as amended by PL 2003, c. 386, §14, is further amended to 
read:
§1752.  Rules
The commissioner shall adopt rules that are necessary for the enforcement of chapters 
201, 202, 202‑A, 207, 301, 303 and 305.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
Sec. 7.  7 MRSA §4011, sub-§1, ¶G, as amended by PL 2013, c. 115, §15, is further 
amended to read:
G.  Hunts, traps or sells for the purpose of hunting any animal, except as permitted 
pursuant to chapter 202‑A and Title 12, Part 13, and excluding humane trapping of 
animals for population control efforts or animal control pursuant to this Part;
Sec. 8.  7 MRSA §4015, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2011, c. 76, §2, is further 
amended to read:
5.  Livestock.  Livestock must be provided with shelter suitable for the health of the 
animal.  Except as provided in subsection 5‑A, livestock must have access to a constructed 
or natural shelter that is large enough to accommodate all livestock comfortably at one 
time.  The shelter should be well drained and protect the livestock from direct sun, rain, 
wind and other inclement weather.  Notwithstanding this subsection, shelter for equines 
must be provided in accordance with subsection 2, paragraph B, subparagraph (1).  For 
purposes of this subsection, "livestock" includes large game as defined in section 1341, 
subsection 5 kept at a licensed commercial large game shooting area as defined in section 
1341, subsection 1.
Sec. 9.  12 MRSA §11229 is enacted to read:
§11229.  Hunting in an enclosed area
1.  Prohibition.  A person may not instigate, promote, participate in, aid or abet, as a 
principal, agent, employee, participant or spectator, participate in the earnings from or 
intentionally maintain or allow any place to be used for the shooting, killing or wounding 
with a firearm or a deadly weapon of an animal that is confined within artificial boundaries 
or tied, staked out, caged or otherwise intentionally restrained, regardless of the animal's 
size.
2.  Penalty.  A person who violates subsection 1 commits a Class E crime.
Sec. 10.  17 MRSA §1031, sub-§1, ¶G, as amended by PL 2013, c. 115, §16, is 
further amended to read:
G.  Hunts, traps or sells for the purpose of hunting any animal, except as permitted 
pursuant to Title 7, chapter 202‑A and Title 12, Part 13, and excluding humane trapping 
of animals for population control efforts or animal control under Title 7, Part 9.  
Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime;
Sec. 11.  17 MRSA §1037, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2011, c. 76, §5, is further 
amended to read:
5.  Livestock.  Livestock must be provided with shelter suitable for the health of the 
animal.  Except as provided in subsection 5‑A, livestock must have access to a constructed 
or natural shelter that is large enough to accommodate all livestock comfortably at one 
time.  The shelter should be well drained and protect the livestock from direct sun, rain, 
wind and other inclement weather.  Notwithstanding this subsection, shelter for equines 
must be provided in accordance with subsection 2, paragraph B, subparagraph (1).  For 
purposes of this subsection, "livestock" includes large game as defined in Title 7, section 
1341, subsection 5 kept at a licensed commercial large game shooting area as defined in 
Title 7, section 1341, subsection 1.
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits hunting animals in an enclosed area and specifies that a person who 
violates the prohibition commits a Class E crime. The bill also repeals the law that permits 
the establishment, operation and use of commercial large game shooting areas.