An Act To Assist Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Disabilities in Obtaining Information Regarding Current Events
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1964
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: RICHARDSON, GROSE, WATSON, WEBSTER, MAYO
Amends: 27 MRSA §40

Leg~slative Document 
No. 1964 
H.P. 1376 
House of Representatives, January 12,2006 
An Act To Assist Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with 
Disabilities in Obtaining Information Regarding Current Events 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Speaker RICHARDSON of Brunswick. 
/7l;U~ fJ1.1lldC~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representatives: GROSE of Woolwich, WATSON of Bath, WEBSTER of 
Freep0I1, Senator: MAYO of Sagadahoc. 
Printed (111 rl'c)ckJ p.lpt'r 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec.!. 27 MRSA §40 is enacted to read: 
§40. 
Accessible electronic information services 
1_. __ 
I>t~J_i1!j._t.~Q!ls_. __ 
A~~se9 __ i~tJl.is section, 
unless 
tlJ.~ 
context 
otherwise 
indicates, 
the 
following 
terms 
have 
the 
following meanings. 
A. 
"Accessible 
eJ,~c.tron~inCQ_nnation service" means 
news 
and 
other 
information, 
including 
but 
not 
limited 
to 
newspap-ers, 
provided 
to 
eligible 
individuals 
from 
a 
multistate service center using high-speed computers 
and 
telecommunications technology for interstate acquisition of 
content and rapid distribution in a form appropriate for use 
by such individuals. 
B. 
"Blind and disabled persons" means individuals who are 
eligible for library loan services through the Library of 
Congress and the National Library Service for the Blind and 
Physically 
Handicapped 
pursuant 
to 
Code 
of 
Federal 
Regulations, Section 70l.l0(b). 
C. 
"Qualified entity" means an agency, instrumentality or 
political 
subdi~v~i~s~1~'o~n~ __ ~o~f __ ~t~h~e~~S~t~a~t~e~ __ ~o~r __ ~a~~n~o~n~p~r~o~f~it 
organization that: 
(1) 
Provides interstate access for eligible persons to 
read 
daily 
newspapers 
through 
producing 
audio 
or 
Braille editions by computer: 
(2) 
Obtains 
electronic 
news 
text 
Internet or through direct transfer 
either 
over 
the 
arrangements made 
with participating news organizations; and 
(3) 
Provides a 
means of program administration and 
reader registration on the Internet. 
2. 
Prov~_siQn of service. The State Librarian shall enter 
into 
an 
agreement 
with 
a 
qualified 
entity 
to 
provide 
an 
accessible electronic information service for eligible blind and 
disabled persons. 
The State Librarian shall make maximum use of 
federal and other funds available by obtaining grants or in-kind 
support from appropriate programs 
and, 
if necessary, 
securing 
access to low-cost interstate rates for 
telecommunications by 
reimbursement or other means. 
Page l-LR2617 (l) 
Sec. 
2. 
Appropriations 
and 
allocations. 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
LIBRARY, MAINE STATE 
Maine State Library 
0217 
Initiative: 
Provides 
funds 
for 
electronic information services. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
provision 
2005-06 
$0 
$0 
The 
of 
following 
accessible 
2006-07 
$26,960 
$26,960 
This 
agreement 
electronic 
bill directs the 
with 
a 
qualified 
information service 
State Librarian to enter into an 
entity to 
provide 
an 
accessible 
for eligible blind and disabled 
persons.