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An Act To Increase the Safety of Hunting
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 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. Shoot at any wild animal or wild bird from any public paved way or within 10100 feet of the edgefrom the center of the pavement of the public paved way or from within the right-of-way of any controlled access highway;
Sec. 2. 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 for which a fine of $500 must be adjudged.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §11209, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, §140 and affected by §422, is amended to read:
 
2. Penalty.   A person who violates subsection 1 commits a Class E crime for which a fine of $500 must be adjudged.
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §11212, sub-§1, ¶B-1  is enacted to read:
 
B-1.  A person during the open firearm season on deer may not have in or on a motor vehicle or in or on a trailer or other type of vehicle being hauled by a motor vehicle a firearm with a rifled barrel unless that firearm is enclosed in a case.
Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §11212, sub-§1, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
 
C. A person may not possess a wild animal or wild bird taken in violation of paragraph A or, B or B-1, except as otherwise provided in this Part.
 
SUMMARY
This bill:
1. Imposes a mandatory $500 penalty for a violation of discharging a firearm or crossbow within 100 yards of a building or residential dwelling;
2. Increases the minimum distance for discharging a firearm to 100 feet from the center of a paved road and sets a penalty of $500 for a violation; and
3. Requires that a firearm with a rifled barrel in or on a motor vehicle during deer hunting season be enclosed in a case.