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An Act Regarding the Safe Discharge of Firearms during Deer Hunting Season
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10902, sub-§7-B  is enacted to read:
 
7-B.  Shooting from public paved way during open firearm season on deer.     A hunting license of a person convicted of shooting from any public paved way during the open firearm season on deer pursuant to section 11208, subsection 1, paragraph A-1 must be revoked, and that person is ineligible to obtain a hunting license for a period of one year from the date of conviction.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §11208, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
 
A. ShootExcept as provided in paragraph A-1, shoot at any wild animal or wild bird from any public paved way or within 10 feet of the edge of the pavement of the public paved way or from within the right-of-way of any controlled access highway;
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §11208, sub-§1, ¶A-1  is enacted to read:
 
A-1.  During the open firearm season on deer, shoot at any wild animal or wild bird with a firearm having a rifled barrel from any public paved way or within 100 feet from the center of the pavement of the public paved way or from within the right-of-way of any controlled access highway;
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §11208, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, §139 and affected by §422, is amended to read:
 
2. Penalty.   A person who violates subsection 1 commits a Class E crime except that a person who violates subsection 1, paragraph A-1 commits a Class E crime for which a fine of $500 must be adjudged.
 
SUMMARY
This bill makes shooting during the open firearm season on deer, which includes the special muzzle-loading open season on deer, at any wild animal or wild bird with a firearm having a rifled barrel from any public paved way or from within 100 feet from the center of the pavement of the public paved way or from within the right-of-way of any controlled access highway a Class E crime for which a fine of $500 must be adjudged. It also provides for the one-year suspension of the hunting license of a person convicted of doing so.