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LD2024 • 2025

An Act to Make Changes to Certain Licensing Laws Governing For-hire Charter Boat Operators, Lobster and Crab Fishing and Elver Dealers

An Act to Make Changes to Certain Licensing Laws Governing For-hire Charter Boat Operators, Lobster and Crab Fishing and Elver Dealers

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Representative Allison Hepler
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Signed by the Governor
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to Make Changes to Certain Licensing Laws Governing For-hire Charter Boat Operators, Lobster and Crab Fishing and Elver Dealers

An Act to Make Changes to Certain Licensing Laws Governing For-hire Charter Boat Operators, Lobster and Crab Fishing and Elver Dealers Sponsor: Representative Allison Hepler Reference committee: Marine Resources Governor action: Signed by the Governor

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Make Changes to Certain Licensing Laws Governing For-hire Charter Boat Operators, Lobster and Crab Fishing and Elver Dealers Sponsor: Representative Allison Hepler Reference committee: Marine Resources Governor action: Signed by the Governor

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Adopted by House & Senate

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR2626(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR2626(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 2024 2 Date: (Filing No.
  • H- ) 3MARINE RESOURCES 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Clerk of the House.
  • 5STATE OF MAINE 6HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8SECOND REGULAR SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-19 Governor

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-12 Senate

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED , in concurrence.

  3. 2026-03-10 House

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

  4. 2026-02-24 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP-AM

  5. 2026-02-12 Committee

    Work Session Held

  6. 2026-02-12 Committee

    Voted; OTP-AM

  7. 2025-12-03 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Marine Resources.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Make Changes to Certain Licensing Laws Governing For-hire Charter Boat Operators, Lobster and Crab Fishing and Elver Dealers
Sponsor:
Representative Allison Hepler
Reference committee:
Marine Resources
Governor action:
Signed by the Governor

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Page 1 - 132LR2626(03)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
_____
H.P. 1354 - L.D. 2024
An Act to Make Changes to Certain Licensing Laws Governing For-hire
Charter Boat Operators, Lobster and Crab Fishing and Elver Dealers
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6313, sub-§4, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2025, c. 155, §5 and
affected by §6, is repealed.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6313, sub-§4, ¶A-1 is enacted to read:
A-1. Possesses a valid United States Merchant Mariner Credential issued by the United
States Coast Guard indicating an endorsement authorizing the individual to carry
passengers for hire; or
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §6431-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2007, c. 201, §12, is further
amended to read:
1. Limit. Before March 1, 2000, the holder of a Class I, Class II or Class III license
issued under section 6421 may not submerge more than 1,000 traps. After February 29,
2000, the The holder of a Class I, Class II or Class III license or a nonresident lobster and
crab landing permit issued under section 6421 may not submerge more than 800 traps. If
a lower trap limit is adopted by rule for a zone pursuant to section 6446, a license holder
who fishes in that zone may not submerge a number of traps that exceeds the lower limit.
The number of traps fished from a vessel may not exceed the applicable trap limit
established in this subsection, regardless of the number of license holders fishing from that
vessel.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §6431-A, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 421, Pt. B, §22 and
affected by Pt. C, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §6864, sub-§1-B, as enacted by PL 2025, c. 370, §3, is repealed.
APPROVED
MARCH 19, 2026
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
570
PUBLIC LAW