HP0480
LD 650
First Regular Session - 125th Maine Legislature
 
LR 866
Item 1
Bill Tracking, Additional Documents Chamber Status

An Act To Create an Apprentice Trapper License

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §12204  is enacted to read:

§ 12204 Apprentice trapper license

1 Definitions.   As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
A "In the presence of" means in visual and voice contact without the use of visual or audio enhancement devices, including binoculars and citizen band radios.
B "Supervisor" means a person who is 18 years of age or older, has held a valid trapping license under this subchapter for 3 consecutive years and is trapping with a person holding an apprentice trapper license.
2 Supervisor required.   A holder of an apprentice trapper license may not trap other than in the presence of a supervisor.
3 Supervisor responsibility.   A supervisor shall ensure that the holder of an apprentice trapper license follows safe and ethical trapping protocol and adheres to the laws under this Part. A supervisor may not intentionally permit a person trapping under an apprentice trapper license with that supervisor to violate subsection 2.
4 Eligibility.   A resident or nonresident 16 years of age or older who has never held a valid trapping license or junior trapping license in this State, or any other state, province or country, is eligible to obtain an apprentice trapper license, except that a person may not be issued an apprentice trapper license after having previously held an apprentice trapper license under this section. A person is eligible to obtain an apprentice trapper license without having successfully completed a trapper education course as described in section 10108, subsection 7.
5 Expiration of apprentice trapper license.   An apprentice trapper license is valid for up to 12 calendar months and expires on June 30th.
6 Issuance; fee.   The commissioner, through the commissioner's authorized agent, shall issue an apprentice trapper license to an eligible person. The fee for an apprentice trapper license is $35 for residents and $317 for nonresidents.
7 Restrictions.   The holder of an apprentice trapper license is not eligible to obtain a permit to trap for bear under section 12260-A.
8 Penalties.   The following penalties apply to violations of this section.
A A person who violates this section commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500 may be adjudged.
B A person who violates this section after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.

summary

This bill creates an apprentice trapper license. An apprentice trapper license allows a person who has never held a trapping license to go trapping with an experienced trapper for up to one year without having to take a trapper education course. The holder of an apprentice trapper license must, while trapping, be under the direct supervision of an experienced trapper at all times. An apprentice trapper license allows a person to trap for all species that may be legally trapped, except black bear. The fee for an apprentice trapper license is the same as for a regular trapping license.


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