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An Act To Expand Public Opportunities for Wildlife Management Education
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10206, sub-§11  is enacted to read:
 
11.  Species Management Education Fund.     The department shall deposit $1 of every hunting license fee collected pursuant to sections 11109 and 11109-A in a separate account within the department, to be known as the Species Management Education Fund. The fund is nonlapsing. The department shall use money in the fund on an annual basis to educate the public on the management of game species. The department may contract with a private entity to provide this education. Education provided pursuant to this section must include information about how hunting and fishing helps to manage specific species. The department may continue its activities pursuant to this subsection during ballot initiative campaigns concerning wildlife issues.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §11109, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2013, c. 538, §§21 and 22, is further amended to read:
 
3. Hunting licenses; combination licenses; fees.   Hunting licenses, combination licenses and fees are as follows.
 
A. A resident junior hunting license, for a person 10 years of age or older and under 16 years of age, is $7$8. Notwithstanding the permit fees established in subchapter 3, a resident junior hunting license includes all permits, stamps and other permissions needed to hunt at no additional cost. A resident junior hunting license does not exempt the holder of the license from lottery-related application requirements under this Part.
 
B. A resident hunting license, for a person 16 years of age or older, is $25$26.
 
C. A resident small game hunting license, for a person 16 years of age or older, which permits hunting for all legal species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat, is $14$15.
 
D. A resident combination hunting and fishing license is $42$43.
 
E. A resident combination archery hunting and fishing license is $42$43.
 
E-1. A resident apprenticeship hunter license, which includes a bear hunting permit and a wild turkey hunting permit under sections 11151 and 11155 respectively, is $25$26.
 
F. A nonresident junior hunting license, for a person 10 years of age or older and under 16 years of age, is $34$35. A nonresident junior hunting license does not exempt the holder of the license from lottery-related application requirements under this Part.
 
G. A nonresident small game hunting license, which permits hunting of all legal species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat, is $74$75.
 
H. A nonresident 3-day small game hunting license, valid for 3 consecutive hunting days, which permits hunting of all legal species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat for the 72-hour period specified on the license, is $49$50.
 
I. A nonresident big game hunting license, which permits hunting of all legal species subject to the permit requirements in subchapter 3, is $114$115.
 
J. A nonresident combination hunting and fishing license is $149$150.
 
K. An alien small game hunting license, which permits hunting of all species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat, is $79$80.
 
L. An alien big game hunting license, which permits hunting of all legal species subject to the permit requirements in subchapter 3, is $139$140.
 
M. An alien combination hunting and fishing license is $190$191.
 
N. A license to use leashed dogs to track wounded animals, which permits a person to use one or more leashed dogs to track a lawfully wounded deer, moose or bear, is $27$28.
 
O. A nonresident small game apprenticeship hunter license, which permits the hunting of all legal species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat, is $74$75.
 
P. A nonresident big game apprenticeship hunter license, which permits the hunting of all legal species and includes a bear hunting permit and a wild turkey hunting permit under sections 11151 and 11155 respectively, is $114$115.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §11109, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, §4, is further amended to read:
 
7. Archery hunting licenses; combination licenses; fees.   Archery hunting licenses, combination licenses and fees are as follows:
 
A. A resident archery license is $25$26;
 
B. A resident combination archery hunting and fishing license is $42$43;
 
C. A nonresident archery license is $74$75; and
 
D. An alien archery license is $84$85.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §11109, sub-§9, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, §5, is further amended to read:
 
9. Crossbow licenses and fees.   Crossbow hunting licenses and fees are as follows:
 
A. A resident crossbow hunting license is $25$26;
 
B. A nonresident crossbow hunting license is $55$56; and
 
C. An alien crossbow hunting license is $79$80.
Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §11109-A, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 477, §4, is amended to read:
 
5. Fee.   The fee for a super pack license is $200$201 for residents and $175$176 for a person holding 2 or more lifetime licenses.
Sec. 6. Stakeholders group; 5-year public outreach campaign. The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall convene a stakeholders group to develop recommendations for a 5-year public outreach campaign for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife on the department's efforts to manage game species, including a plan for how money in the Species Management Education Fund under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 10206, subsection 11 is to be used. The commissioner shall report on the recommendations of the stakeholders group, including any suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife by February 1, 2016. The joint standing committee may report out a bill regarding the commissioner's report to the Second Regular Session of the 127th Legislature.
 
SUMMARY
This bill increases hunting license fees by $1 and directs the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to use that revenue on an annual basis to educate the public on the management of game species. It also directs the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to convene a stakeholders group to develop a 5-year public outreach campaign on the efforts of the department to manage game species, including a plan on how to use the increased revenue. The commissioner is directed to report by February 1, 2016 to the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, which may report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 127th Legislature.