AUGUSTA, ME: On Wednesday, March 24th at 10:00 AM, the Joint Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will hold a public hearing on L.D. 635. Introduced by Senator Trey Stewart (SD 2), this pro-suppressor legislation seeks to repeal the requirement to obtain a state permit before hunting with a firearm suppressor in The Pine Tree State.
Firearm suppressors are legal to own in 42 states. Of these, 40 states allow hunters to use them in the field. The use of suppressors while hunting has been legal in Maine since 2015; however, Maine is the only state that requires an additional permit to do so. Eliminating the permit requirement would free up valuable Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife resources while simultaneously making the hunting experience in Maine safer by making it easier for hunters to mitigate their risk of hearing damage.
As L.D. 635 does not change Federal law, hunters would still be required to submit a Form 4 application to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, pay a $200 transfer tax, pass an extensive FBI background check, notify their Chief Law Enforcement Officer, and wait an average of 6 to 18 months in order to lawfully obtain a suppressor.
The American Suppressor Association has submitted written testimony and will provide verbal testimony during the hearing, but we need your help! If you are a resident of Maine, or hunt in Maine, please use the contact form below to politely urge the members of the Joint Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to vote in support of L.D. 635.
Read ASA's complete testimony to the Committee HERE.
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