Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §65, as amended by PL 1983, c. 180, §3, is further amended to read:

§65. Licensing of exhibitions

No A person, agricultural society, association or corporation may not hold, conduct or operate agricultural fairs or agricultural exhibitions for competition for premiums or purses within the State without a license for those purposes and only on dates assigned by the commissioner. The application for the license shall must be signed and sworn to by the person or executive officer of a society, association or corporation and shall must contain such information as the commissioner may require. All fair licenses shall be are for a period of 3 calendar years following the date of the application. Applications for licenses under this section shall must be received by the commissioner not later than November 15th March 31st prior to the period during which the fair is to be held and shall must be accompanied by a $10 license fee. Assignment of fair dates by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources shall must be announced by December May 15th for the 3- year period. If the commissioner is satisfied that the requirements of this chapter and the rules prescribed by the commissioner have been and will be complied with by the applicant, he the commissioner may issue a license for that purpose and, in a manner consistent with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, Title 5, chapter 375, set the dates for which the license is effective.

SUMMARY

This bill changes the dates for submission of applications for a license for an agricultural fair or agricultural exhibition from November 15th prior to the fair or exhibition to March 31st. This bill also changes the date by which the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources is required to announce the assignment of fair dates to May 15th from December 15th.