D.__The State Planning Office;

E.__The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary;

F.__A boating safety and navigation education organization;

G.__A harbor master association;

H.__A state or regional association designed to protect lakes;

I.__A statewide organization that promotes marine fishing and boating;

J.__A statewide organization that promotes hunting and freshwater fishing;

K.__A statewide organization promoting paddle sports; and

L.__A statewide organization representing professional guides or instructors or both.

Each member may select one representative from its organization to serve on the council.__Representatives must be selected every 2 years and may not serve more than 3 consecutive terms.__At all times the council must have a simple majority membership of nonstate and nonfederal entities.__Additional members may be added to the council upon written petition by the prospective member and approval by the council.

2.__Chair.__At the first meeting each year, council representatives shall select a person from among the representatives to serve as chair for a one-year term.__The chair may not serve more than 2 terms consecutively.

3.__Duties.__The council shall advise and make policy recommendations to the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Legislature regarding boating safety and education issues, including the coordination and evaluation of efforts to enforce state and federal boating regulations.

4. Meetings; recommendations.__The council shall submit recommendations, reports or plans to the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and to the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

5. Quorum.__A quorum is a majority of the current representatives of the council.

6.__Compensation.__Representatives may not receive compensation except for the reimbursement of expenses incurred pursuant to the duties as council representative unless otherwise compensated.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill establishes the Maine Boating Safety Advisory Council designed to advise and provide policy recommendations to the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife on boating safety and education matters. The commissioner shall solicit a person from each of the following organizations to serve on the council: the United States Coast Guard; the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; the Department of Marine Resources; the State Planning Office; the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary; a boating safety and navigation education organization; a harbor master association; a statewide organization that promotes marine fishing and boating; a state or regional association designed to protect lakes; a statewide organization that promotes hunting and freshwater fishing; a statewide organization promoting paddle sports; and a statewide organization representing professional guides or instructors or both. Additional members may be added to the council upon petition by the prospective member and approval by the council. Each member shall select a representative to serve on the council every 2 years. A representative may serve no more than 3 consecutive terms. Representatives shall choose a chair each year and a representative may not serve more than 2 consecutive years as chair. At all times the council must have a simple majority of nonstate and nonfederal members. Representatives receive no compensation except for the reimbursement of expenses incurred pursuant to their duties as council representatives unless otherwise compensated by their organizations.