Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the enacting clause the following:
‘Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, the 2014 elver fishing season begins at noon on March 22, 2014, and this legislation makes changes to the elver fishing licensing laws that need to take effect in time for the 2014 season; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,’
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1.
Amend the bill in section 5 in §6407 by striking out all of subsection 1 (page 1, lines 22 and 23 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
Amend the bill by inserting after section 5 the following:
‘Sec. 6. 12 MRSA §6455, sub-§5-A, ¶¶B, C and D, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 309, §2, are amended to read:
B.
For the year 2014 the surcharges are, for:
(1) Class I lobster and crab fishing licenses for persons 18 to 69 years of age, $55.25;
(2) Class II lobster and crab fishing licenses, $110.50, except that for license holders 70 years of age or older the surcharge is $55;
(3) Class III lobster and crab fishing licenses, $160.75, except that for license holders 70 years of age or older the surcharge is $80;
(4) Nonresident lobster and crab landing permits, $425 $160.75;
(5) Wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits if the license holders hold no supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits, or lobster transportation licenses if the license holders hold no supplemental lobster transportation licenses, $400;
(6) Supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses as follows:
(a) Six hundred dollars for up to 2 supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses;
(b) Eight hundred dollars for 3 to 5 supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses; and
(c) One thousand dollars for 6 or more supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses; and
(7) Lobster processor licenses, $333 if less than 1,000,000 pounds of raw product is processed, and $1,333 if 1,000,000 pounds or more of raw product is processed.
C.
For the year 2015 the surcharges are, for:
(1) Class I lobster and crab fishing licenses for persons 18 to 69 years of age, $110.25;
(2) Class II lobster and crab fishing licenses, $220.50, except that for license holders 70 years of age or older the surcharge is $110;
(3) Class III lobster and crab fishing licenses, $320.75, except that for license holders 70 years of age or older the surcharge is $160;
(4) Nonresident lobster and crab landing permits, $850 $320.75;
(5) Wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits if the license holders hold no supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits, or lobster transportation licenses if the license holders hold no supplemental lobster transportation licenses, $800;
(6) Supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses as follows:
(a) One thousand two hundred dollars for up to 2 supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses;
(b) One thousand six hundred dollars for 3 to 5 supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses; and
(c) Two thousand dollars for 6 or more supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses; and
(7) Lobster processor licenses, $666 if less than 1,000,000 pounds of raw product is processed, and $2,666 if 1,000,000 pounds or more of raw product is processed.
D.
For the years 2016 to 2018 the surcharges are, for:
(1) Class I lobster and crab fishing licenses for persons 18 to 69 years of age, $165.25;
(2) Class II lobster and crab fishing licenses, $330.50, except that for license holders 70 years of age or older the surcharge is $165;
(3) Class III lobster and crab fishing licenses, $480.75, except that for license holders 70 years of age or older the surcharge is $240;
(4) Nonresident lobster and crab landing permits, $1,275 $480.75;
(5) Wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits if the license holders hold no supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits, or lobster transportation licenses if the license holders hold no supplemental lobster transportation licenses, $1,200;
(6) Supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses as follows:
(a) One thousand eight hundred dollars for up to 2 supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses;
(b) Two thousand four hundred dollars for 3 to 5 supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses; and
(c) Three thousand dollars for 6 or more supplemental wholesale seafood licenses with lobster permits or supplemental lobster transportation licenses; and
(7) Lobster processor licenses, $1,000 if less than 1,000,000 pounds of raw product is processed, and $4,000 if 1,000,000 pounds or more of raw product is processed.
Sec. 7. 12 MRSA §6535, sub-§2, ¶¶A and B, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 282, §5, are amended to read:
A.
A diving tender licensed under this section may not sell sea urchins or scallops unless the person:
(1) Sells sea urchins or scallops to a purchaser who holds a valid wholesale seafood license with a sea urchin buyer's permit or a valid wholesale seafood license with a sea urchin processor's permit or a valid retail seafood license or sells scallops to a purchaser who holds a valid wholesale seafood license or a valid retail seafood license; and
(2) Provides to the purchaser the name and license number of the license holder with whom the person was engaged when the sea urchins or scallops were harvested.
B. A holder of a wholesale seafood license, a wholesale seafood license with a sea urchin buyer's permit or a wholesale seafood license with a sea urchin processor's permit or a retail seafood license who purchases scallops or sea urchins from a diving tender licensed under this section may not purchase the sea urchins or scallops except by check or cashier's check unless there is a written receipt associated with the transaction, and the holder of a wholesale seafood license, a wholesale seafood license with a sea urchin buyer's permit or a wholesale seafood license with a sea urchin processor's permit or a retail seafood license who purchases scallops or sea urchins from a licensed diving tender shall report the information provided by the person under paragraph A, subparagraph (2) in accordance with section 6173.
Sec. 8. 12 MRSA §6702, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2013, c. 301, §15, is further amended to read:
Sec. 9. 12 MRSA §6703, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2013, c. 301, §16, is further amended to read:
Sec. 10. 12 MRSA §6808, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2009, c. 229, §19, is further amended to read:
Amend the bill by inserting after section 7 the following:
‘Sec. 8. 12 MRSA §6851, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2011, c. 598, §41, is further amended to read:
Amend the bill by inserting after section 8 the following:
‘Sec. 9. 12 MRSA §6853, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. G, §39 and c. 478, §4, is further amended to read:
A holder of a license required under this section when buying marine worms directly from a harvester may buy only from a harvester who possesses a marine worm digger's license under section 6751 , and when buying green crabs from a harvester may buy only from a harvester who possesses a commercial green crab only license issued under section 6808. The harvester shall make the marine worm digger's license or commercial green crab only license available for inspection upon the license holder’s request.
Sec. 10. 12 MRSA §6864, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 301, §20, is amended to read:
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment adds an emergency preamble and clause to the bill.
This amendment amends a provision in the bill to clarify that a conviction of a crime is considered a conviction and an adjudication of a civil violation is considered an adjudication during the pendency of appeal.
The amendment lowers the license surcharge for a nonresident lobster and crab landing permit beginning in 2014.
The amendment clarifies that licensed diving tenders may sell scallops to a wholesale seafood license holder regardless of whether the license holder holds a sea urchin buyer's or processor's permit.
The amendment adjusts the amount of shell scallops permitted in the personal use exemption in the scallop licensing laws from one bushel to 1 1/2 bushels.
The amendment allows the holder of a marine worm dealer's license and a wholesale seafood dealer’s license to purchase and sell green crabs without a green crab only license. It also authorizes a holder of a Class I, Class II, Class III, or student lobster and crab fishing license to fish for or take green crabs without a commercial green crab only license and to sell green crabs without a commercial green crab only license.
Finally, the amendment sets February 1st as the deadline for issuing an elver dealer's license for the current licensing year. Currently, the law sets February 1st of the current year as the deadline for issuing an elver dealer's license for the following licensing year.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)