Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10151, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by c. 614, §9, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

1.__Appointment.__The Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council, established by Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 20 and referred to in this Part as "the advisory council," consists of 10 members.__Five members represent the 16 counties of the State in the following manner: one member represents Franklin County, Kennebec County, Oxford County and Somerset County; one member represents Aroostook County; one member represents Androscoggin County, Cumberland County, Sagadahoc County and York County; one member represents Hancock County, Knox County, Lincoln County and Waldo County; and one member represents Penobscot County, Piscataquis County and Washington County.__Of the remaining 5 members, one member represents bird watchers, one member represents herpetologists, one member represents wildlife watchers, one member represents naturalists and one member represents botanists.__Members of the advisory council are appointed by the Governor, subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife matters and to confirmation by the Legislature. The commissioner is a nonvoting, ex officio member of the advisory council, but may vote to break a tie.

An employee of the department may not serve as a member of the advisory council prior to the expiration of one year from that employee's last day of employment with the department.__A Legislator may not serve as a member of the advisory council.__A former Legislator who was a member of the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife matters may not serve as a member of the advisory council prior to the expiration of one year from that former Legislator's last day of membership on that committee.

Sec. 2. Transition; members in office. Members of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council in office on the effective date of this Act continue in office for the remainder of their terms. When the term of office of a member expires, that member's successor is elected pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 10151, subsection 1.

SUMMARY

This bill restructures the membership of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council. The bill reduces the members that represent the 16 counties from 10 to 5 and requires that the remaining 5 members represent bird watchers, herpetologists, wildlife watchers, naturalists and botanists.