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An Act To Require Forest Rangers To Be Trained at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  this legislation needs to take effect before the expiration of the 90-day period in order to ensure that certain forest rangers complete the basic law enforcement training program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy as soon as possible; 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,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2803-A, sub-§8-D, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 456, §3, is amended to read:
 
8-D. Training of forest rangers.   To establish certification standards and a training program for the state supervisor of the forest protection unit of the Bureau of Forestry within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and forest rangers appointed under Title 12, section 8901. This program must include:
 
A. Preservice law enforcement training under section 2804-B;
 
B. An additional basic forest ranger training program developed by the state supervisor of the forest protection unit of the Bureau of Forestry within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and approved by the board that is specific to the duties of a forest ranger;
 
C. In-service law enforcement training that is specifically approved by the board as prescribed in section 2804-E; and
 
D. A firearms training program equivalent to a firearms training program of a full-time law enforcement officer trained at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy that is developed and approved by the board.
 
A forest ranger hired on or after July 1, 2019 shall complete basic training under section 2804-C.
 
Forest ranger pilots regardless of hire date and forest rangers hired prior to July 1, 2019 are exempt from basic training under section 2804-C, but completion of basic training under section 2804-C exempts a person from the preservice training requirement under paragraph A;
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires forest rangers hired on or after July 1, 2019 to complete the basic law enforcement training program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. It exempts forest ranger pilots, regardless of when they were hired, and forest rangers hired prior to July 1, 2019 from the requirement to complete this basic law enforcement training program.