CHAPTER 280
H.P. 1064 - L.D. 1456
An Act To Establish the Landowners and Sportsmen Relations Advisory Board
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§49-C is enacted to read:
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §7038 is enacted to read:
§7038. Advisory board established
1. Appointment and composition. The Landowners and Sportsmen Relations Advisory Board, referred to in this chapter as "the advisory board" and established by Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 49-C, consists of members as follows:
A. Three ex officio members:
(1) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee;
(2) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection or the commissioner's designee; and
(3) The Commissioner of Conservation or the commissioner's designee;
B. Nine members, appointed by the Governor, representing landowners:
(1) One representative of a statewide small woodland owners association;
(2) One representative of corporate landowners;
(3) One representative of a statewide forest products organization;
(4) One representative of a statewide farmers organization;
(5) One representative of a statewide small forest industry organization;
(6) One representative of private landowners who is not affiliated with any of the organizations or associations in this subsection relating to farming, forestry or corporate ownership;
(7) One representative of a statewide tree farm organization;
(8) One representative of land trust organizations; and
(9) One representative of a utility corridor ownership interest;
C. Nine members, appointed by the Governor, representing land users:
(1) One representative of a statewide sportsmen's organization;
(2) One representative of a statewide trapping organization;
(3) One representative of a statewide snowmobile organization;
(4) One representative of a statewide all-terrain vehicle organization;
(5) One representative of a statewide turkey hunters organization;
(6) One representative of a statewide bowhunters organization;
(7) One representative of a northern Maine sportsmen's organization;
(8) One representative of a southern Maine sportsmen's organization; and
(9) One representative of a statewide environmental organization; and
D. No more than 2 nonvoting, ad hoc members may be appointed by the commissioner upon recommendation of the advisory board. These members must possess expertise or knowledge of the advisory board's purpose and duties and may not be affiliated with any organization or association listed in this subsection.
2. Terms. Members of the advisory board, including the ad hoc members, serve for 3 years, except that, initially, the first 3 landowner representative members appointed and the first 3 land user representative members appointed serve 3 years; the next 3 landowner representative members appointed and the next 3 land user representative members appointed serve 2 years; and the remaining landowner and land use representative members appointed serve for l year. The ad hoc members serve for 3 years. When a vacancy occurs, the Governor shall fill the vacancy by appointing a member from the same category as the member who vacated the advisory board and that member continues to serve for the remainder of the term.
3. Chair; election of board officers. The members of the advisory board shall annually elect one of its members as chair and one of its members as vice-chair.
4. Quorum. A majority of the advisory board members representing landowners and a majority of the advisory board members representing land users combined constitute a quorum.
5. Staffing of advisory board. The department shall provide administrative and staff support to the advisory board.
6. Meetings. The advisory board shall hold quarterly meetings each year. Additional meetings may be held as necessary to conduct the business of the advisory board.
7. Duties. The advisory board shall:
A. Propose changes to or advise the commissioner on landowner-related laws, rules, department policies or other significant landowner and land user issues;
B. Review landowner-related policies and procedures, conduct studies, evaluate programs and make recommendations to the commissioner;
C. Obtain public use of private and public land for recreational activities by assisting with conflict resolution as it pertains to public access issues on both private and public lands and promote greater understanding and cooperation between owners and users of these lands;
D. Review and make recommendations regarding programs administered by other agencies. The commissioner shall coordinate all reviews; and
E. Conduct an organizational review of the advisory board every 5 years. This review must affirm to the department that the advisory board has the membership required by subsection 1 and that the advisory board is fulfilling its duties. If the review determines that the advisory board does not have the correct representational mem-bership, a subcommittee of the members of the advisory board must be convened to recommend to the commissioner appropriate changes. At any time, the advisory board may recommend to the commissioner ways to improve the advisory board's membership or function and the commissioner shall act upon those recommendations.
Effective September 13, 2003, unless otherwise indicated.
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