Judy Camuso and four bills debated on January 30

            Judy Camuso’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for 9 AM on January 30 by the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee at the legislature. Following Judy’s hearing the committee will hear testimony on four legislative bills.

            I expect Judy’s hearing may go on for a while because there are a lot of people very enthusiastic she’s going to be our new Fish and Wildlife Department Commissioner. And yes, it will be no surprise when she is unanimously endorsed by the IFW committee.

            Because of my illness, ALS, it’s tough to get into Augusta and up to the committee room for hearings and work sessions, but my friend Tom Saviello has offered to drive me there on January 30 and get me up to the hearing room.

            I’m enthusiastic about speaking for Judy, because I was a strong advocate for her appointment. I talked with Gov. Janet Mills several times about Judy and was delighted when Janet picked Judy to be our commissioner.

            The four bills heard that day are:

LD 26, An act to provide complimentary lifetime hunting and fishing licenses to retired game wardens with 25 years of service, sponsored by Representative Theriault of China

LD 27, An act to allow the use of crossbows during the archery season on deer, also sponsored by Rep. Theriault

LD 33, An act to establish a Thanksgiving youth turkey hunting season, sponsored by Representative Tuell of East Machias

LD 56, An act to ban the use of personal watercraft on Lower Wilson Pond and Upper Wilson Pond, sponsored by Representative Stearns of Guilford

George Smith

About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters. Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014. In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.