Whereas, it is imperative for the safe and effective management of the State's moose population that the number of permits be increased beginning in the 1999 hunting season; and

Whereas, amendments to the moose permit laws for the 1999 season must be enacted as an emergency in order to be in effect at the time of the 1999 moose lottery; 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 §7463-A, sub-§2-A, ¶C, as amended by PL 1997, c. 490, §1, is further amended to read:

C. In 1996 and 1997, no more than 1,500 permits; and

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §7463-A, sub-§2-A, ¶D, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 490, §2, is amended to read:

D. In 1998 and in each year thereafter, no more than 2,000 permits.; and

Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §7463-A, sub-§2-A, ¶E is enacted to read:

E.__In 1999 and in each year thereafter, no more than 3,000 permits.

Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §7463-A, sub-§4-A, as repealed and replaced by PL 1993, c. 574, §22, is amended to read:

4-A. Subpermittees. A person may not hunt moose with a permittee unless the person is a subpermittee authorized in accordance with this subsection. An applicant for a moose permit may indicate on the application filed pursuant to subsection 6 the name of a subpermittee-designate and the name of an alternate subpermittee-designate. If the applicant is issued a moose permit under subsection 7, the subpermittee-designate becomes a subpermittee and the permittee may authorize the subpermittee to participate in the moose hunt with the permittee. An applicant for a moose permit may also indicate the name of a subpermittee- designate and the name of an alternate