An Act to Clarify the
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2054
Committee Amendment CA_A_H976 (House)
Amends: 12 MRSA §11154

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " ^ " to H.P. 1378, L.D. 2054, "An Act to Clarify the
Laws Regarding Moose Huntmg Permits for Hunting Outfitters"
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
followmg:
'See. 1. 12 MRSA §11154, sub-§2, as repealed and replaced by PL 2021, c, 184,
§3, is amended to read:
2. Issuance of moose hunting permits. In accordance with section 11552, the
commissioner may issue moose huntmg permits and may establish the number of moose
hunting permits to be issued for each wildlife management district established by the
commissioner by rule open to moose hunting. No more than 8% of the moose hunting
permits may be issued to nonresidents. No more than 3% 5% of the moose hunting permits
may be issued to hunting outfitters in accordance with subsection U 14-A.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §11154, sub-§14, as amended by PL 2017, c. 458, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §11154, sub-§14-A is enacted to read:
14-A. Moose huntine lodee permits. A moose huntine pennit issued to a hunting
outfitter. referred to m this section as a "moose huntine lodee oeiTnit." must be allocated
through a public chance drawine separate from the public chance drawing under subsection
9, The fee for a moose hunting lodge permit is $1.500,
A. For the purposes of this subsection, "hunting outfitter" means a person that operates
a soortme camp. as defined m Title 22, sectiQn 2491, subsection 11, that is licensed
under Title 22. chapter 562 and;
0 d) Offers a package deal that includes food. lodeine and the services of a hunting
guide licensed under chapter 927 jor the purpose of hunting;
(2LQffers the services of a hunting guide licensed under cha£>ter927 for at least 3
months per year; and
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
ROS
•A".
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "t\ " to H.P. 1378, L.D. 2054
(3Y Has provided euided moose hunts in the State out of the soortine camp for at
least 3 of the last 5 calendar years.
B. The department shall develop an afiBdavit that a huntine outfitter that aoolies for a
moose hunting lodge oermit must sign and attest that the hunting outfitter meets the
requirements of this section.
C. A huntme outfitter that applies for a moose huntine lodse permit and identifies the
wildlife management district in which the applicant's licensed sportme camo is located
as the hunting outfitter's first choice on the application will be given preference for a
nermit in. that wildlife management district m the public chance drawing under
subsection 9.
D, A hunting outfitter that receives a moose hunting lodee oennit through tjie public
chance drawing described in this subsectionmav sell or transfer that permit only once.
only to a hunter who is eligible under paragraph H and only under the following
conditions:
d') The sale or transfer must be part of a package deal that includes the food and
lodeine to be provided by the hunting outfitter to the person receiving the moose
hunting lodge permit;
f2) The hunter receiving the moose hunting lodge permit from the hunting outfitter
must be accompanied during the hunt by a guide licensed under chapter 927;
(3) The hunting outfitter must notify the deuartment of the identity of the hunter
receiving the moose hunting lodge permit;
(4) The moose hunting lodge permit may not be sold or transferred by the hunter;
and
(5} The hunting outfitter may not buy. barter or sell or offer to buy. barter or sell
a moose huntmfi lodge permit or the authority granted by a moose hunting lodge
permit issued under this subsection to another huntine outfitter,
E. A huntmg outfitter may be allocated more than one moose huntine lodge permit
through the public chance drawing described in this subsection.
P. A moose hunting lodge permit may be used only for the year, season, sex and
0 wildlife management district for which the permit is issued except that:
d) A moose huntme lodge permit may be swapped with any other moose huntme
lodge permit: and
(T} A moose hunting lodge permit may not be swapped with a permit allocated
4 under the public chance drawing under subsection 9 unless the original huntine
outfitter that was awarded the moose hunting lodpe permit wishes to swap for
purposes of relocatine that huntme outfitter's hunt to the wildlife management
district where that hunting outfitter's licensed facUitv is located.
G, Moose hunting lodge permits allocated under this subsection may not exceed 5%
of the total moose hunting lodge permits issued under this section per year for each
season, sex and wildlife management district permit tvpe,
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
ROS
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT '^- " to H.P. 1378, L.D, 2054
EL A resident or nonresident who is eligible to obtain a Maine huntine license or who
will be eligible to obtain a Maine hunting license by the openine day of the open moose
season is eligible to hunt with a moose huntmg permit issued under this subsection.
I. A hunter who obtains a moose hunting lodee permit is inelieible to apply for or
obtain a permit from the public chance drawins under subsection 9 until the 4th
calendar year after the issyance^ofthe last permit,
J.Ifproc^^^^^ from the auction authorized under subsection 11 are less than
$107,000. proceeds from the sale of moose hunting lodee permits must be used to fund
youth conservation education proerams as orovided under subsection 11 in an amQunt
of up to $107.000. The remamder must be deposited m the Moose Research and
Management Fund under section 10263.
K, A recipient of a moose huntine lodee permit may not sell a subpennittee or an
alternate suboermittee designation.
L, The commissioner may authorize a person who holds a moose huntme lodee permit
to defer the permit pursuant to subsections 12 and 17.
Sec. 4. Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to update moose
hunting lodge permit public chance drawing system. The Department of Inland
Fisheries and Wildlife shall update the moose hunting lodge permit public chance drawmg
system under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 11154, subsection 14-A to allow
an applicant to indicate on the permit application the applicant's preference for moose
huntmg season and wildlife management district with the goal of reducing the need for
hunting outfitters to swap permits,'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill. It makes changes to how moose hunting lodge
permits are allocated and directs the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to make
changes to the moose hunting lodge permit public chance drawing system to allow
applicants to indicate a preference on the permit application for moose huntmg season and
0 wildlife management district to reduce the need for permit swaps,
FISCAL NOTE REQUffiED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved: 04/02/26 t-RL
LD 2054 LR 2632(02)
An Act to Clarify the Laws Regarding Moose Hunting Permits for Hunting Outfitters
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ^'
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Minor cost increase - General Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Any additional costs to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to implement the provisions of this bill are
expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources,
LR2632(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1