Hedgehogs, hunting wear and a host of peculiar bills in the Maine Legislature

Sen. Eric Brakey wants to allow the unlicensed ownership of hedgehogs as pets. Rep. Mattie Daughtry is seeking legislation that would regulate rabbit production for local consumption. Rep. David McCrea will push for a bill that would allow hunters whose religious beliefs prohibit them from wearing hunter orange to instead wear red clothing.  As the 128th session of the Maine Legislature gets underway, these are just a few examples of some of the more unusual legislative requests that will be considered this year.  Mattie Daughtry, a Brunswick Democrat, has proposed legislation that would allow farms that slaughter fewer than 1,000 rabbits annually to sell them on their farms, at farmers’ markets, at community supported agriculture outlets, to consumers at their homes, to grocery stores and to locally owned restaurants, all without being inspected. Under her proposal, rabbits can not be transported across state lines and all rabbits would have to be sold whole. The name of the rabbit producer and its address must be visible on a label as well as safe handling and cooking instructions. McCrea, a Fort Fairfield Democrat, is serving his first term in the Legislature. An Amish community in Fort Fairfield and Easton asked him to sponsor legislation that would allow Amish hunters to wear red rather than hunter orange during hunting season. He said the Amish people lead a simple life and try to avoid bringing attention to themselves. Their religious beliefs frown upon them wearing brightly colored clothing such as blaze orange, but their leaders told McCrea they could wear red.