Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §4315, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1997, c. 511, §23, is further amended to read:

1. Transportation of wild blueberries without permit. It is unlawful for a person to transport wild blueberries in quantities exceeding 25 pounds without first obtaining a transportation permit on an official form to be furnished by the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine. The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine shall issue official transportation permit forms to owners who may issue the transportation permits to individuals. Each permit issued must bear a different number and expire at the end of the calendar year. When the blueberries are being transported out of the State prior to processing, the transportation permit form must include the weight of the blueberries. When an owner issues a transportation permit, the owner shall immediately send a copy to the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine. The commission shall keep a permanent record of all permits issued. The commission may adopt rules establishing the form and content of transportation permits and governing the means of their issuance and establishing the record-keeping functions of the commission and the owners. Notwithstanding any provision of Title 1, chapter 13, subchapter I to the contrary, records pertaining to transportation permits required to be kept by the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine under this section are confidential to the extent necessary to preserve the identity of parties to individual business transactions. The confidential status does not apply when records kept by the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine are needed as evidence in any proceeding to enforce any provision of section 4314 or this section, or in any prosecution for a violation of any other criminal law.

SUMMARY

This bill requires that blueberries being transported out of the State be weighed prior to transportation and the weight recorded on the transportation permit form.