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An Act To Amend the Process for Distributing Any-deer Permits
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §11152, sub-§1-B  is enacted to read:
 
1-B.  Permits; public chance drawing.     If permits that allow hunting antlerless deer are issued under this section, the commissioner shall issue the permits in accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner that establish a public chance drawing to determine which applicants are issued the permits. The rules establishing the public chance drawing must include provisions for awarding to applicants who are not selected for a permit points that increase the applicants' chances of being selected in the subsequent consecutive year. This subsection does not apply to a person with a special antlerless deer permit under subsection 7.
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §11152, sub-§9  is enacted to read:
 
9.  Veterans.     Notwithstanding subsection 1-B, the commissioner shall issue antlerless deer permits, the number of which must be established by the commissioner by rule adopted each year based upon the deer population, to veterans who are eligible to obtain the permit and who were honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard.
Sec. 3. Rules. The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall adopt rules no later than November 1, 2017 that establish a public chance drawing to determine which applicants are issued an antlerless deer permit pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 11152, subsection 1-B.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, if antlerless deer permits are issued, to issue antlerless deer permits to applicants who are chosen through a public chance drawing. The commissioner is required to adopt rules by November 1, 2017 establishing a public chance drawing for antlerless deer permits, including provisions for awarding to applicants who are not selected for a permit points that increase the applicants' chances of being selected in a subsequent consecutive year.
The bill requires the commissioner to issue antlerless deer permits to veterans, who are not required to participate in the public chance drawing. The number of permits issued to veterans is determined by the commissioner annually based upon the deer population.