# Maine LD 214: An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry Maine LD 214, An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Allison Hepler (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-05-30 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 155); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD214-132 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maine LD 214 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-16 - Last action: 2025-05-30, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 155 - Sponsor: Allison Hepler (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: RECREATIONAL FISHING, RECREATIONAL FISHING - LICENSES - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Halibut anglers must register and tag: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, if you fish for halibut in Maine’s coastal waters, you must register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry and get recreational halibut tags. The commissioner sets how tagging works and how it links to the registry. The law does not set tag fees. - New license rules for charter captains: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2026, you must have a for-hire charter boat operator license to take paying passengers fishing in coastal waters. To get it, you must have a U.S. captain credential or a current tidewater guide license. The license has no state fee; the processing fee is $2 with an agent or $1… - New rules for recreational operator licenses: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2026, holders of a recreational fishing operator license must collect data from saltwater anglers and report it as the commissioner directs. The license still has no state fee. The law also narrows who can get this license by removing captains of for-hire passenger vessels and… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Allison Hepler (Democratic), House ## Actions (7) - 2025-05-30: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 155 - 2025-05-28: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-05-28: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-05-27: Reports ReadOn motion by Senator TEPLER of Sagadahoc the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-214) Report ACCEPTED. Bill READ ONCE. Committee Amendment "A" (H-214) READ and ADOPTED. Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (H-214) in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-05-22: Reports READ.On motion of Representative HEPLER of Woolwich, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-214) was READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-214). Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-03-21: Carried over, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519. (House) - 2025-01-16: Received by the Clerk of the House on January 16, 2025.The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on MARINE RESOURCES pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. (House) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (H-214), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0137&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0137&item=4&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0137&item=1&snum=132) ## Related bills - LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed) - LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed) - LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed) - LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed) - LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed) - LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed) ## Sources - [Amendment C-A (H-214), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0137&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0137&item=4&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0137&item=1&snum=132) ## Related - [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132) - [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132) - [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132) - [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132) - [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132) - [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132) - [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills) - [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD214-132 (as of 2026-10-17).