An Act to Expand the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Outdoor Education Programs to Schools and Communities

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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1532
S.P. 616 In Senate, April 8, 2025
An Act to Expand the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Outdoor Education Programs to Schools and Communities
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator STEWART of Aroostook.
Cosponsored by Senator: GUERIN of Penobscot, Representatives: MASON of Lisbon, WOOD
of Greene, WOODSOME of Waterboro.

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1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10108, sub-§13 is enacted to read:
313. Satellite sites; collaboration with Department of Education. The department
4 may conduct a program under this section in a location owned by a 3rd party through a
5 lease or partnership with the 3rd party. The commissioner may collaborate with the
6 Department of Education in designing a curriculum for a program under this section that
7 qualifies as instruction under Title 20-A, section 4732 and engaging with a secondary
8 school to participate in the program. A secondary school may elect to participate in the
9 program. If a secondary school participates in a program under this subsection, the program
10 may be conducted in whole or in part in a location under this subsection or in whole or in
11 part at the secondary school or at a facility of the school administrative unit in which the
12 secondary school is located. A student under Title 20-A, section 5001-A, subsection 3,
13 paragraph A and a member of the public may attend a program approved for secondary
14 school instruction under this subsection.
15Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §4732 is enacted to read:
16§4732. Outdoor education programs
17 A secondary school may provide instruction in outdoor education under Title 12,
18 section 10108 in collaboration with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
19Sec. 3. Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to conduct programs
20at diverse locations in State. By January 1, 2026, the Department of Inland Fisheries
21 and Wildlife shall secure a minimum of 3 locations in geographically diverse areas of the
22 State to conduct a program pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 10108,
23 subsection 13. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall collaborate with the
24 Department of Education to develop a curriculum for one or more programs under Title
25 20-A, section 4732 to be conducted at the locations identified under this section and engage
26 with secondary schools to participate in the program or programs as soon as practicable in
27 calendar year 2026.
28Sec. 4. Report. By November 4, 2026, the Department of Inland Fisheries and
29 Wildlife shall submit a report on the securing of and the suitability of locations in which
30 programs are held and the effectiveness of the collaboration with the Department of
31 Education and secondary schools under section 3, along with any recommended legislation,
32 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over inland fisheries
33 and wildlife matters, which may report out legislation based upon the report to the 133rd
34 Legislature in 2027.
35SUMMARY
36 This bill allows the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to conduct the
37 department's educational programs at locations owned by 3rd parties through leases or
38 partnerships with the 3rd parties. The bill allows the Department of Inland Fisheries and
39 Wildlife to collaborate with the Department of Education to develop a curriculum for a
40 program to allow the program to count as secondary school instruction. A secondary school
41 may elect to participate in the program, which may be held in whole or in part at the 3rd-
42 party location or the secondary school or a school administrative unit facility. Members of
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43 the public and homeschoolers may attend the programs. The bill directs the Department of
44 Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to secure at least 3 locations in geographically diverse areas
45 of the State by January 1, 2026 and to develop a curriculum for one or more programs to
46 be conducted at the locations as soon as practicable in 2026.
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