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LD489 • 2025

An Act to Provide for a Vessel Breakdown License Exception for Commercial Halibut Fishing License Holders

An Act to Provide for a Vessel Breakdown License Exception for Commercial Halibut Fishing License Holders

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Representative Tiffany Strout
Last action
2025-05-09
Official status
Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)
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 Provide for a Vessel Breakdown License Exception for Commercial Halibut Fishing License Holders

An Act to Provide for a Vessel Breakdown License Exception for Commercial Halibut Fishing License Holders Sponsor: Representative Tiffany Strout Reference committee: Marine Resources Governor action: Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Provide for a Vessel Breakdown License Exception for Commercial Halibut Fishing License Holders Sponsor: Representative Tiffany Strout Reference committee: Marine Resources Governor action: Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)

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 - 132LR1062(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR1062(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 489 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 8FIRST SPECIAL SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-09 Governor

    Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)

  2. 2025-05-07 Senate

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED - Emergency - 2/3 Elected Required, in concurrence.

  3. 2025-05-06 House

    This being an emergency measure, a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to the House was necessary. PASSED TO BE ENACTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

  4. 2025-04-25 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP-AM

  5. 2025-03-13 Committee

    Work Session Held

  6. 2025-03-13 Committee

    Voted; OTP-AM

  7. 2025-02-06 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Marine Resources.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Provide for a Vessel Breakdown License Exception for Commercial Halibut Fishing License Holders
Sponsor:
Representative Tiffany Strout
Reference committee:
Marine Resources
Governor action:
Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Page 1 - 132LR1062(03)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 318 - L.D. 489
An Act to Provide for a Vessel Breakdown License Exception for
Commercial Halibut Fishing License Holders
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, this legislation must take effect before May 18, 2025, the beginning of the
2025 commercial halibut fishing season; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6506, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 627, §5, is amended to
read:
2. Licensed activity; commercial license. The holder of a commercial halibut fishing
license issued under subsection 1 may fish for, take, possess, ship, transport or sell halibut
that the holder has taken using the vessel named on the license. Crew members aboard a
license holder’s vessel may fish for, take, possess, ship or transport halibut only if the
license provides for crew members.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6506, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:
2-A. Exception to using vessel named on license holder's license for commercial
license holders. Notwithstanding subsection 2, the commissioner may temporarily
authorize a holder of a commercial halibut fishing license to use a vessel other than the
vessel named on that license holder's license to fish for, take, possess, ship or transport
halibut if the license holder documents to the commissioner that the vessel named on that
license holder's license has become temporarily inoperable because of an accident or a
mechanical failure and requests in writing to the commissioner that the commissioner
authorize the use of another vessel to fish for or take halibut. The commissioner's
authorization may require the license holder to fish for, take, possess and land halibut
separately from any halibut taken under another license listing the same vessel to ensure
APPROVED
MAY 9, 2025
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
60
PUBLIC LAW
Page 2 - 132LR1062(03)
that harvest limits are not exceeded. An authorization granted by the commissioner to a
license holder due to an accident or a mechanical failure may not exceed 2 weeks. The
commissioner may authorize one 2-week extension per license holder during the
commercial halibut fishing season. An authorization under this subsection may not be
granted by the commissioner in 2 consecutive years.
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation
takes effect when approved.