WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

LD 1790

An Act Regarding Lobster Measurement

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Billy Bob Faulkingham

LD 1790 would revise lobster measurement rules and management zones, affecting the DMR and lobstermen, with a small General Fund cost; the bill died after committee action.

Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
#lobsters #managementzones #provisionrevised
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · LD 1790

LD 1790 — An Act Regarding Lobster Measurement

A concise summary of the bill based on the available documents.

Overview

  • Bill number: LD 1790
  • Title: An Act Regarding Lobster Measurement
  • Status: Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
  • Introduced: April 24, 2025
  • Sponsor: Rep. Faulkingham of Winter Harbor
  • Committee: Marine Resources
  • Subject: Lobsters, MANAGEMENT ZONES, PROVISION REVISED

Purpose and Intent

  • The bill’s title and subject indicate an aim to revise provisions related to how lobsters are measured for regulatory purposes and to modify rules concerning lobster management zones. The exact text of the changes is not provided in the available materials, so the specific measurement methods, size limits, or zone definitions are not enumerated here.

Key Provisions (as indicated by available information)

  • The bill would revise a provision related to lobster measurement.
  • It would also involve changes to lobster management zones.
  • Specific regulatory language, thresholds, or enforcement details are not included in the provided documents.

Note: The precise statutory text and resulting regulatory changes are not disclosed in the supplied materials. The summary reflects what can be inferred from the bill’s title and subject.

Fiscal Impact

  • Fiscal Note: Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement approved May 20, 2025.
  • Impact type: Minor cost increase to the General Fund.
  • Cost detail: Any additional costs to the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) from the bill are expected to be minor and absorbable within existing resources.
  • The fiscal note indicates no substantial or new cost burdens beyond what the department can accommodate within current budgeted resources.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Primary regulator: Department of Marine Resources (DMR), which would implement any revised measurement provisions and manage zone-related changes.
  • Lobster industry stakeholders: Lobstermen, lobster buyers/handlers, and others affected by measurement rules and management-zone regulations (e.g., harvesting practices, reporting, enforcement).

Legislative History and Timeline

  • 4/24/2025: Referred to the Committee on Marine Resources.
  • 5/15/2025: Work session held; Divided Report approved (ONTP/OTP).
  • 5/29/2025: Reported Out – ONTP/OTP.
  • 6/2–6/3/2025: Reports read; Majority Ought Not to Pass report accepted in concurrence; Bill placed in Legislative Files (DEAD).
  • 6/3/2025: Final actions reflect the bill’s placement in legislative files, i.e., it did not advance.

Practical Takeaway

  • LD 1790 proposed revisions to lobster measurement and management zones, with a modest fiscal impact to the state budget. Despite committee consideration and a divided report, the bill did not advance and is currently dead. If reintroduced or amended in the future, it would follow the standard legislative process and potential impacts to DMR operations and lobster industry participants would depend on the enacted language.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.