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An Act To Assist the Commercial Fishing Safety Council
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6034, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2009, c. 369, Pt. A, §25, is further amended to read:
 
1. Appointment; composition.   The Commercial Fishing Safety Council, referred to in this section as "the council" and established by Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 57-E, consists of 169 members, 15 of whom are appointed by the commissioner as follows:
 
A. One member who is a license holder under this Part and a member of the Lobster Advisory Council, recommended by the chair of the Lobster Advisory Council;
 
B.  One member who is a license holder under this Part and a member of the Marine Resources Advisory Council, recommended by the chair of the Marine Resources Advisory Council;
 
C. One member who is a license holder under this Part and a member of the Sea Urchin Zone Council or the Scallop Advisory Council, recommended by the chair of the Sea Urchin Zone Council or the Scallop Advisory Council;
 
D. FiveThree members who are license holders under this Part and who represent commercial marine harvesting activities;
 
E. An educator experienced in community-based adult education and volunteer safety training or an expert in fishing industry risk analysis and occupational health;
 
F.  An expert in fishing industry risk analysis and occupational health;
 
G. An expert in marine safety equipment;
 
H.  A representative of the marine insurance industry;
 
I.  A marine surveyor;
 
J. A spouse or domestic partner of a license holder under this Part; and
 
K. A member of the public.
 
The chair of the Marine Resources Advisory Council is an ex officio member of the council. The composition of the council must reflect a geographic distribution along the coast of the State, to the degree possible. The council may invite to carry out the duties of the council other participants on an ad hoc basis, including representatives of private or governmental organizations or individuals with expertise or interest in marine, education, labor or health matters.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6034, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 90, §2, is amended to read:
 
2. Term.   The term of an appointed member is 3 years, except a vacancy of a member before the expiration of the member's term must be filled in the same manner as the original member for the unexpired portion of the member's term. An appointed member may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms.
 
SUMMARY
This bill reduces the size of the Commercial Fishing Safety Council from 16 to 9 members. The bill also removes the chair of the Marine Resources Advisory Council as an ex officio member and removes the council's authority to invite other participants on an ad hoc basis. The bill also removes the requirement that a member may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms.