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An Act To Create an Apprentice Trapper License
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §12204  is enacted to read:
§ 12204. Apprentice trapper license
 
1.  Definitions.     As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
 
A.  "In the presence of" means in visual and voice contact without the use of visual or audio enhancement devices, including binoculars and citizen band radios.
 
B.  "Supervisor" means a person who is 18 years of age or older, has held a valid trapping license under this subchapter for 3 consecutive years and is trapping with a person holding an apprentice trapper license.
 
2.  Supervisor required.     A holder of an apprentice trapper license may not trap other than in the presence of a supervisor.
 
3.  Supervisor responsibility.     A supervisor shall ensure that the holder of an apprentice trapper license follows safe and ethical trapping protocol and adheres to the laws under this Part. A supervisor may not intentionally permit a person trapping under an apprentice trapper license with that supervisor to violate subsection 2.
 
4.  Eligibility.     A resident or nonresident 16 years of age or older who has never held a valid trapping license or junior trapping license in this State, or any other state, province or country, is eligible to obtain an apprentice trapper license, except that a person may not be issued an apprentice trapper license after having previously held an apprentice trapper license under this section. A person is eligible to obtain an apprentice trapper license without having successfully completed a trapper education course as described in section 10108, subsection 7.
 
5.  Expiration of apprentice trapper license.     An apprentice trapper license is valid for up to 12 calendar months and expires on June 30th.
 
6.  Issuance; fee.     The commissioner, through the commissioner's authorized agent, shall issue an apprentice trapper license to an eligible person. The fee for an apprentice trapper license is $35 for residents and $317 for nonresidents.
 
7.  Restrictions.     The holder of an apprentice trapper license is not eligible to obtain a permit to trap for bear under section 12260-A.
 
8.  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.
 
SUMMARY
This bill creates an apprentice trapper license. An apprentice trapper license allows a person who has never held a trapping license to go trapping with an experienced trapper for up to one year without having to take a trapper education course. The holder of an apprentice trapper license must, while trapping, be under the direct supervision of an experienced trapper at all times. An apprentice trapper license allows a person to trap for all species that may be legally trapped, except black bear. The fee for an apprentice trapper license is the same as for a regular trapping license.