An Act Relating to the Establishment of a Central Maine Regional Public Safety Communication Center Further amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting in its place the following: Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§74-D is enacted to read: 74-D. Public Safety ~ NQ.t Comrounica-Authorized tions System Policy ~ MRSA llill Sec. 2. 25 MRSA c.192-A is enacted to read: CHAPTER 192-A MAINE CQMMUBICATIONS SYSTEM POLICY BOARD SIS31. Maine Communications System Poli£Y Board This section governs the establishment and powers of the Maine Communications System Policy Board within the Department of Public Safety. Page l-LR2241(2) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1683
Committee Amendment CA_A_S454 (Senate)
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-I

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A" to S.P. 615, L.D. 
Act 
Creating 
the 
Central 
Maine 
Regional 
Communication Center" 
8 3 , Bill , 
"An 
Public 
Safety 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting 
the following: 
'An Act Relating to the Establishment of a Central Maine Regional 
Public Safety Communication Center' 
Further amend the bill by striking out everything after the 
enacting clause and before the summary and inserting in its place 
the following: 
'Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§74-D is enacted to read: 
74-D. 
Public 
Safety 
~ 
NQ.t 
Comrounica-
Authorized 
tions System 
Policy 
~ 
MRSA 
llill 
Sec. 2. 25 MRSA c.192-A is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 192-A 
MAINE CQMMUBICATIONS SYSTEM POLICY BOARD 
SIS31. 
Maine Communications System Poli£Y Board 
This section governs the establishment and powers of the 
Maine Communications System Policy Board within the Department of 
Public Safety. 
Page l-LR2241(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A" to S.P. 615, L.D. 1683 
1. 
Policy board established. 
The 
Maine 
Communications 
System Policy Board, referred to in this chapter as "the board, " 
is established within the Department of Public Safety, referred 
to in this chapter as "the department." 
The purpose of the board 
is 
to 
establish policies, 
procedures 
and 
standards 
for 
the 
cooperative 
use 
of the department's 
communication 
systems 
by 
municipal, 
county and state governmental entities. 
The board 
also shall carry out 
any other functions 
specified in this 
chapter. 
2. 
Members. 
The board consists of 15 members as follows: 
A. 
The Commissioner of Public Safety, ex officio; 
B. 
The Chief of the State Police, ex officio; 
C. 
The Chief Information Officer within the Department of 
Administrative and Financial Services, ex officio; 
D. 
A representative of the Executive Department, appointed 
by the Governor: 
E. 
A representative of participating municipalities with 
populations 
of 
less 
than 
5,000, 
selected 
from 
and 
recommended by the boards of selectmen, 
town councils or 
ci ty councils of those municipalities and appointed by the 
Governor; 
F. 
A representative of participating municipalities with 
populations of 5,000 or more but less than 15,000, selected 
from 
and 
recommended 
by 
the 
boards 
of 
selectmen, 
town 
councils 
or 
city 
councils 
of 
those 
municipalities 
and 
appointed by the Governor; 
G. 
A representative of participating municipalities with 
populations of 15,000 or more, selected from and recommended 
by the boards of selectmen, town councils or city councils 
of those municipalities and appointed by the Governor: 
H. 
A representative of participating counties, recommended 
by 
a 
statewide 
association 
of 
county 
commissioners 
and 
appointed by the Governor; 
I. 
A representative 
of 
police 
chiefs 
of participating 
municipalities, 
recommended by a statewide association of 
police chiefs and appointed by the Governor; 
J. 
A representative of county sheriffs of participating 
counties, recommended by a statewide association of sheriffs 
and appointed by the Governor: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 615, L.D. 1683 
K. 
A 
representative 
of 
fire 
chiefs 
of 
participating 
municipalities, 
recommended by a 
statewide association of 
fire chiefs and appointed'by the Governor; 
L. 
A 
representative 
of 
emergency 
medical 
services 
of 
participating municipalities, 
recommended by the Emergency 
Medical 
Services' 
Board established by Title 
5, 
section 
12004-1., subsection 15 and appointed by the Governor; 
M. 
A representative 
of 
the 
users 
of 
the 
department's 
communications system, appointed by the Governor. 
After the 
initial appointment, the Governor shall appoint a person who 
serves on an advisory board established pursuant to section 
1532, subsection 6 and who is recommended by a majority of 
the members of the advisory boards; 
N. 
A nonsupervisory employee of the department involved in 
the operation of the department's communications 
system, 
recommended 
by 
the 
bargaining 
unit 
representing 
those 
employees and appointed by the Governor; and 
O. 
One citizen representing the public, who is not and has 
not been associated with law enforcement, fire fighting or 
emergency medical services, appointed by the Governor. 
For 
purposes 
of 
this 
subsection, 
"participating" 
means 
participating 
in 
the 
cooperative 
use 
of 
the 
department's 
communication systems. 
3. 
Term of office: vacanc.,y. 
Ex officio members of the 
board serve during their terms of office. 
Other members of the 
board serve 3-year terms, except that initial appointments are 
made pursuant to subsection 4. 
A vacancy on the board must be 
filled for the remainder of the unexpired term of that member in 
the Same manner as the original appointment. 
Members whose terms 
expire serve until their successors are appointed. 
4. 
Initial APPOiptments. 
Initial appointments to the board 
are made as follows; 
A. 
The 
member 
representing the Executive 
Department is 
appointed for a one-year term; 
B. 
The member representing municipalities with populations 
of less than 5,000 is appointed for a one year term, the 
member representing municipalities with populations of 5,000 
or more but less than 15,000 is appointed for a 2-year term 
and the member representing municipalities with populations 
of 15,000 or more is appointed for a 3-year term; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
'. ,~. 
, -
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A It to S. P. 615, L.D. 1683 
c. 
The member 
representing counties is appointed for 
a 
one-year term; 
D. 
The member representing police chiefs is appointed for a 
2-year term; 
E. 
The member representing fire chiefs is appointed for a 
3-year term; 
F. 
The member representing county sheriffs is appointed for 
a 3-year term; 
G. 
The member representing emergency medical services is 
appointed for a 2-year term; 
H. 
The member representing the users of the department's 
communications system is appointed for a one-year term; 
I. 
The member representing nonsupervisory employees of the 
department is appointed for a 2-year term; and 
J. 
The member representing the public is appointed for a 
3-year term, 
Excluding the Commissioner of Public Safety, the Chief of the 
State Police, the Chief Information Officer within the Department 
of Administrative and Financial Services, the member representing 
the 
Executive 
Department 
and 
the 
member 
representing 
nonsupervisory employees of the department, at least 5 of the 
initial appointments must be members that represent entities in 
Kennebec County. 
5. 
Chair. 
The Governor shall appoint one of the 15 board 
members to serve as chair. 
The chair serves at the pleasure of 
the Governor, 
6. 
Meetings. 
The board may meet as necessary to carry out 
its duties but shall meet at least one time in each calendar 
guarter at a place and time determined by the board and at the 
call of the chair. 
7. Cmnpensation. 
Members of the board are not entitled to 
compensation. 
§1532. 
Powers and duties of board 
1. 
Policies, procedures and standards. 
The board shall 
establish policies, procedures and standards for the cooperative 
use 
of 
the 
department's 
communication 
systems 
by municipal, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. A 
.. to S.P. 615, L.D. 1683 
county 
and 
state governmental entities. 
The 
board 
may 
not 
establish a policy, procedure or standard that interferes with 
the ability of the Chief of the State Police to operate 
a 
telecommunications system pursuant to section 1508. 
2. 
Budget. 
The board shall formulate 
a budget for the 
department's communications unit, which must be submitted to the 
commissioner for approval and inclusion in the budget of the 
department. 
3. 
Implementation 
plan. 
The 
board 
shall 
develop 
an 
implementation plan to accommodate the voluntary consolidation of 
the 
various 
governmental 
communications 
systems 
in 
Kennebec 
County with the department's communication systems and for the 
design 
of 
an 
appropriate 
communications 
unit 
within 
the 
department. 
The plan must include provisions to ensure that 
employees 
of 
the 
department's 
communications 
unit 
are 
state 
employees. 
4. 
Annual 
report. 
Beginning in 
2005, 
the board shall 
report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters no later than 
February 1st of each year concerning the activities of the board 
during the previous year and the status of the operation of the 
department's 
communication 
systems. 
The 
report 
must 
contain 
information 
regarding 
the 
status 
of 
the 
development 
and 
implementation of a consolidated communications system within the 
State. 
The report must also contain a list of the entities that 
are participants in the 
cooperative use 
of the department's 
communication systems. 
A copy of the annual 
report must be 
provided to each municipality and county of the State within 10 
days of filing the report with the Legislature. 
5. 
Annual meeting. 
In addition to board meetings held 
pursuant to section 1531. subsection 6, the board shall hold an 
annual meeting between February 15th and March 31st of each year. 
The purpose of the annual meeting is to solicit input from the 
municipalities and counties of the State and other interested 
parties concerning the activities of the board and operation of 
the department's communication systems. 
6. 
Adviso:r:y boards. 
The board shall designate advisory 
boards 
composed 
of 
users 
of 
the 
department's 
communication 
systems 
for 
the 
purpose 
of 
soliciting 
input 
regarding 
the 
policies. procedures and standards set by the board and the 
operation 
of 
the 
communication 
systems. 
The 
board 
shall 
designate a sufficient number of advisory boards to represent the 
interest of tbe users of the department's communication systems. 
~ 
advisory board shall make a report to the board at least one 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S. P. 615, L. D. 1683 
time in each calendar quarter at a board meeting regarding the 
activities of the advisory board. 
§1533. 
Supervisor of communication systems: appointment and 
duties 
Within 
existing 
resources, 
pending 
establishment 
of 
a 
communications unit within the department. the Commissioner of 
Public Safety shall appoint a department employee to supervise 
the department's communications systems and to carry out policies 
and procedures established by the board. 
Upon establishment of a 
communications unit in the department. the commissioner, to the 
extent resources are available and with the approval of the 
board, shall appoint a director to administer the unit. plan, 
direct and supervise the day-to-day operations of the unit and 
carry out the policies and procedures of the board. 
The director 
may be dismissed by the commissioner for cause with the approval 
of the board. 
Sec. 3. Implementation report; proposed legislation. 
The Maine 
Communications System Policy Board shall report to the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
utilities and 
energy matters 
no later than January 1, 
2005 
regarding 
the 
status 
of 
the 
implementation 
plan 
developed 
pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 25, section 1532, 
subsection 3. 
This report must contain information relative to 
the fiscal and personnel issues involved in the implementation of 
consolidated communications systems. 
A copy of the report must 
be provided to each municipality and county of the State and each 
affected bargaining unit within 10 days of filing the report with 
the Legislature. 
If during the development of the implementation 
plan the board determines that statutory changes are required to 
effectuate 
the 
implementation 
plan, 
the 
board 
shall 
submit 
proposed legislation to the First Regular Session of the l22nd 
Legislature by January 15, 2005. 
During the development of the 
implementation plan, the board shall consult with any bargaining 
units whose members may be affected by the implementation plan. 
SUMMARY 
This 
amendment replaces the bill and changes 
the title. 
This amendment establishes the Maine Communications System Policy 
Board within the Department of Public Safety. 
The purpose of the 
board is to establish policies, procedures and standards for the 
cooperative use of the department's 
communication 
systems 
by 
municipal, county and state governmental entities. 
The board is 
also directed ~o develop an implementation plan for the voluntary 
consolidation of the various governmental communication systems 
in Kennebec County with the department's communication systems 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A" to S.P. 615, L.D. 1683 
and for the design of an appropriate communications unit within 
the department. 
The board is composed of representatives of the 
state and of local governments and emergency service providers 
who 
participate 
in 
the 
cooperative 
use 
of 
the 
department's 
communication systems, as well as representatives of employees, 
users of the system and the public. 
The amendment also directs 
the Commissioner of Public Safety, within existing resources, to 
appoint 
a 
department 
employee 
to 
supervise 
the 
department's 
communications systems and to carry out policy and procedures 
established 
by 
the 
board 
pending 
establishment 
of 
a 
communications unit within the department. 
Upon establishment of 
a 
communications unit in the department, 
the commissioner is 
directed, 
to the extent resources are available and with the 
approval of the board, to appoint a director to administer the 
unit, plan, direct and supervise the day-to-day operations of the 
unit and carry out the policies and procedures of the board. 
The 
director may be dismissed by the commissioner for cause with the 
approval of the board. 
FISCAL :'lUTE RE(Ji li<EO 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 03/22/04 frac:.. 
l2lst Maine Legislature 
Office of Fiscal and Program Review 
LD 1683 
An Act Creating the Central Maine Regional Public Safety 
Communication Center 
LR 2241(02) 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "1\ 
Committee: Utilities and Energy 
r' 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Potential future biennium cost increase - General Fund 
The costs of establishing the Maine Communications System Policy Board within the Department of Public Safety can 
be absorbed utilizing currently budgeted resources. Possible future General Fund costs associated with any subsequ r 
establishment of a regional communications unit within the department will depend on any implementation 
recommendations developed by the board and submitted to the Legislature for approval. The amounts can not be 
detennined at this time. 
LR224 1 (2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1