An Act To Allow Civil Penalties for Trespass while Engaging in Activities Regulated by Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10657 is enacted to read:
§ 10657. Civil trespass
1. Prohibition. While engaging in any activity regulated under this Part, a person, knowing that the person is not licensed or privileged to do so, may not:
A. Enter or cause a projectile to enter any place from which that person may lawfully be excluded and that is posted in accordance with Title 17-A, section 402, subsection 4 or in a manner reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders or that is fenced or otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders; or
B. Enter or remain in or cause a projectile to enter or remain in any place in defiance of a lawful order not to enter or an order to vacate that was personally communicated to that person by the owner of the place or another authorized person.
2. Civil penalties. The following penalties apply to violations of this section.
A. A person who violates this section commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500 may be adjudged.
B. A person who violates this section 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.
3. Definition. For the purposes of this section, "projectile" means a bullet, pellet, shot, shell, ball, arrow, bolt or other object propelled or launched from a firearm or a bow, crossbow or similar tensile device.
Effective September 20, 2007