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An Act To Ensure Safe and Humane Bear Hunting Practices
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §11228, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 432, §2, is amended to read:
 
1. Collar required.   A person may not hunt with a dog in pursuit of bear, coyote or bobcat unless the dog has a collar that legibly provides the name, telephone number and address of the owner of that dog.
 
A. A person who violates this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500 may be adjudged.
 
B. A person who violates this subsection 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.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §11251, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by c. 614, §9, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §11302, as amended by PL 2013, c. 280, §7, is repealed.
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §11302-A  is enacted to read:
§ 11302-A. Hunting bear with dogs
 
1.  Prohibition.     A person may not hunt bear with the use of one or more dogs.
 
2.  Exception.     The commissioner or the commissioner's agent may hunt bear with the use of one or more dogs for public safety or research purposes.
 
3.  Penalties.     The following penalties apply to violations of this section.
 
A.  A person who violates this section commits a Class D crime.
 
B.  A person who violates this section and, at the time of the offense, has 2 or more prior convictions for violating this section commits a Class C crime.
Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §11303, sub-§2, as affected by PL 2003, c. 614, §9; repealed and replaced by c. 655, Pt. B, §160; and affected by §422, is amended to read:
 
2. Prohibition.   A person may not within the area described in subsection 1:
 
A. Hunt bear;
 
B. Trap bear; or
 
C. Molest or harass a bear; or.
 
D.  Release dogs for the purpose of hunting a bear.
 
The commissioner, or the commissioner's agent, is exempt from this prohibition for the purpose of live-trapping nuisance bears.
Sec. 6. 12 MRSA §11304, as affected by PL 2003, c. 614, §9; amended by c. 655, Pt. B, §161; and affected by §422, is repealed.
 
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits a person from hunting bear with the use of dogs. The bill also makes a violation of that prohibition a Class D crime and a Class C crime for a 3rd or subsequent offense. It provides an exemption for the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to hunt bear with the use of dogs for public safety or research purposes.