An Act To Designate 2-1-1 Maine, Incorporated as the Sole Provider for 2-1-1 Information and Referral Services for the State of Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0523
Committee: Utilities and Energy
Sponsors: BRAUTIGAM, BROMLEY, ADAMS, DAVIS, DUCHESNE, EBERLE, EMERY, FISCHER, RICHARDSON, RAYE

Legislative Document 
No. 523 
H.P.399 
House of Representati ves, February 1, 2005 
An Act To Designate 2-1-1 Maine, Incorporated as the Sole Provider 
for 2-1-1 Information and Referral Services for the State of Maine 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Utilities and Energy suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative BRAUTIGAM of Falmouth. 
Cosponsored by Senator BROMLEY of Cumberland and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: ADAMS of Portland, DAVIS of Falmouth, DUCHESNE of Hudson, 
EBERLE of South Portland, EMERY of Cutler, FISCHER of Presque Isle, Speaker 
RICHARDSON of Brunswick, Senator: RAYE of Washington. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas, 
on 
July 
21, 
2000 
the 
Federal 
Communications 
Commission determined that there was sufficient public benefit to 
justify the use of a scarce public resource to assign 2-1-1 to be 
used for access to community information and referral services; 
and 
Whereas, the Legislature finds that the implementation of a 
single, 
easy-to-use 
telephone 
number, 
2-1-1, 
and 
an 
Internet 
database for public access to information and referral for health 
and human services and disaster-related information will benefit 
the 
citizens 
of 
this 
State 
by 
providing 
easier 
access 
to 
available health and human services, by reducing inefficiencies 
in connecting people with the desired service providers and by 
reducing duplication of effort; and 
Whereas, 2-1-1 Maine, Incorporated, a nonprofit organization 
incorporated under the laws of this State and controlled by the 
United Way of Greater Portland, in consultation with the other 
United Way agencies serving this State and Ingraham, 
has been 
organized for the purpose of operating a 
2-1-1 information and 
referral service serving this State; and 
Whereas, 2-1-1 Maine, Incorporated has retained Ingraham to 
operate the 2-1-1 Maine, 
Incorporated call center and maintain 
and update the 
information database to be 
used by the call 
center; and 
Whereas, 
the 
Legislature 
finds 
that 
Ingraham 
is 
an 
experienced 
provider 
of 
information 
and 
referral 
services 
operating statewide Maine and is capable of operating the 2-1-1 
Maine, Incorporated call center and maintaining and updating the 
associated database; and 
Whereas, 
the 
Legislature 
further 
finds 
that 
there 
is 
currently 
no 
entity 
authorized 
to 
provide 
information 
and 
referral services in Maine using the FCC-reserved 2-1-1 telephone 
number; and 
Whereas, the Public Utilities Commission has determined that 
it has no jurisdiction to designate an information and referral 
service provider entitled to use the 2-1-1 telephone number in 
this State; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, 
these facts 
create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of 
Maine 
and 
require 
the 
following 
legislation 
as 
immediately 
necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and 
safety; now, therefore, 
Page l-LR1255(l) 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 
Designation as 2-1-1 information and referral services 
provider. 
2-1-1 Maine, 
Incorporated is designated as the sole 
entity entitled to use the 2-1-1 telephone number, reserved by 
the Federal Communications Commission in FCC Docket 00-256, in 
the provision of information and referral services in the State 
of Maine, whether through wireline, mobile or voice-over-Internet 
telecommunications services. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
2-1-1 Maine, Incorporated was formed by the United Way of 
Greater 
Portland, 
in consultation with the other 
United 
Way 
agencies serving the State and Ingraham, to provide a statewide 
information and referral service using a database developed by 
Ingraham with the support of United Way funding and the 2-1-1 
telephone 
number 
reserved 
by 
the 
Federal 
Communications 
Commission for such providers. 
Ingraham, which already operates 
an information and referral service in Maine, will operate the 
2-1-1 
Maine, 
Incorporated call center and maintain and update 
the statewide database to be used in providing the service. 
In order to obtain the funding necessary to provide the 
service, 2-1-1 Maine, 
Incorporated requires designation by the 
State 
of 
Maine 
as 
the 
sole 
2-1-1 
information 
and 
referral 
provider 
for 
Maine. 
The 
Public 
Utilities 
Commission 
has 
determined that it does not have jurisdiction to designate a 
2-1-1 provider. 
This bill designates 2-1-1 Maine, Incorporated 
as the 2-1-1 provider.