An Act To Assist Persons with Pulmonary Disabilities Further amend the bill in section 1 by striking out all of subsection 5 and inserting in its place the following: , 5. Ensuring equitable treatment for persons with certain disabilities. If the commission establishes or approves one or more low-income assistance programs under subsection 2 or 3 that result in similarly situated persons receiving different levels ot assistance depending solely upon which transmission and distribution utility service territory they reside in. the commission shall by rule establish an eQuitable-treatment program consistent with this subsection. A. The equitable-treatment program must be available to any person who: (1) Is eligible for benefits under the transmission and distribution utility's low-income assistance program established in accordance with subsection 2: and (2) Provides documentation from a doctor that the person for health reasons needs an oxygen pump at least hoyrs each day. Page l-LR0325(2) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0563
Committee Amendment CA_A_H181 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A" to H.P. 418, L.D. 
Act 
To 
End 
Discrimination 
against 
Persons 
Disabilities in Northern and Eastern Maine" 
563, 
with 
Bill, "An 
Pulmonary 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting 
the following: 
'An Act To Assist Persons with Pulmonary Disabilities' 
Further amend the bill in section 1 by striking out all of 
subsection 5 and inserting in its place the following: 
, 5. Ensuring equitable treatment for persons with certain 
disabilities. 
If the commission establishes or approves one or 
more low-income assistance programs under subsection 2 or 3 that 
result in similarly situated persons receiving different levels 
ot 
assistance 
depending 
solely 
upon 
which 
transmission 
and 
distribution utility service 
territory 
they 
reside 
in. 
the 
commission shall by rule establish an eQuitable-treatment program 
consistent with this subsection. 
A. 
The equitable-treatment program must be available to any 
person who: 
(1) Is eligible for benefits under the transmission and 
distribution utility's low-income 
assistance 
program 
established in accordance with subsection 2: and 
(2) 
Provides 
documentation 
from 
a 
doctor 
that the 
person for health reasons needs an oxygen pump at least 
hoyrs each day. 
Page l-LR0325(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
tt~~ 
t~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT A" to H.P. 418, L.D. 563 
B. 
The equitable-treatment program must be designed to 
ensure that the 
low-income 
assistance benefits provided 
under this section to persons who qualify under paragraph A 
mitigate, to an extent that is reasonably equivalent in each 
transmission and distribution utility territory, electric 
charges associated with the operation of an oxygen pump. 
The commission may not reduce any assistance provided under 
any 
low-income 
assistance 
program 
established 
under 
subsection 2 in order to satisfy the requirements of this 
paragraph. 
C. 
The 
commission 
shall establish 
an 
administratively 
simple 
and 
inexpensive 
method 
of 
administering 
the 
equitable-treatment program. 
D. 
Reasonable 
costs 
incurred 
by 
a 
transmission 
and 
distribution utility in implementing any program established 
by 
the 
commission 
under 
this 
subsection 
are 
just 
and 
reasonaQle expenses for rate-making purposes. 
E. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine 
technical 
rules 
as 
defined 
in 
Title 
5, 
chapter 
375, 
subchapter 2-A.' 
SUMMARY 
This 
amendment 
modifies 
the 
language 
governing 
the 
establishment of the equitable-treatment program. 
It removes the 
requirement that overall program benefits provided to low-income 
persons 
who 
use 
oxygen 
pumps 
be 
substantially 
equivalent 
throughout the State. 
Since the 
low-income 
programs 
of 
the 
various transmission and distribution utilities are dissimilar in 
many ways, that result might be difficult to achieve and conflict 
with the goal of establishing an administratively simple and 
inexpensive program. 
The 
amendment provides that the program 
ensure that low-income assistance benefits mitigate, to an extent 
that is reasonably equivalent throughout the State, the increased 
electric costs associated with the use of oxygen pumps. 
The 
amendment also ensures that only persons eligible for benefits 
under the current programs would be eligible for the adjustment 
provided under the equitable-treatment program. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03129/05 ;:J!;I:,?ac::.. 
LD563 
LR 0325(02) 
An Act To End Discrimination against Persons with Pulmonary Disabilities in Northern and Eastern 
Maine 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee AmendmentA' 
Committee: Utilities and Energy 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
LR0325(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1