An Act To Improve Funding for Telecommunications Relay Services
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1290
Committee: Utilities and Energy
Sponsors: BLISS, BARTLETT, BLANCHARD, BRYANT, PERCY, SCHATZ
Amends: 35-A MRSA §7, 35-A MRSA §8703

Legislative Document 
No. 1290 
H.P.887 
House of Representatives, March 15,2005 
An Act To Improve Funding for Telecommunications Relay Services 
Reference to the Committee on Utilities and Energy suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative BLISS of South Portland. 
Cosponsored by Senator BARTLETT of Cumberland and 
l7/~frl.7I!~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BLANCHARD of Old Town, BRYANT of Windham, PERCY of Phippsburg, 
SCHATZ of Blue Hill. 
Printed on recyded paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. I. 35-A MRSA §7I04, sub-§6 is enacted to read: 
6. 
Telecommunications relay services support. 
In order to 
ensure 
the affordability of 
telecommunications 
relay services 
throughout the State, 
the 
commission shall establish funding 
support for telecommunications relay services, including related 
outreach 
programs, 
within 
the 
state 
universal 
service 
fund 
established pursuant to subsection 3. 
A. 
In establishing the total level of support for the state 
universal service fund, the commission shall include funding 
levels for telecommunications relay services as recommended 
by the Telecommunications Relay Services Advisory Council, 
as 
established 
in 
section 
8704, 
unless 
the 
commission 
determines, 
upon its own motion or upon the reguest of a 
provider of intrastate telecommunications services, that the 
recommended 
funding 
levels 
may 
be 
unreasonable. 
If the 
commission 
determines 
that 
the 
funding 
levels 
may 
be 
unreasonable, 
the 
commission shall open 
a 
proceeding to 
determine a reasonable funding level for telecommunications 
relay services, including related outreached programs. 
Upon 
the 
conclusion 
of 
the 
proceeding, 
the 
commission 
shall 
establish 
funding 
support 
for 
telecommunications 
relay 
services, including related outreach programs, that it has 
found to be reasonable within the state universal service 
fund. 
The 
commission shall reguire contributions to the 
state universal service fund on a guarterly basis to meet 
the established funding support levels. 
B. 
In 
determining 
reasonable 
funding 
levels 
for 
telecommunications 
relay 
services, 
including 
related 
outreach programs, the commission may consider whether the 
recommended 
funding 
is 
for 
telecommunications 
relay 
services, including related outreach programs, that are: 
(1) 
Federally reguired services; 
(2) 
Services provided in other states with a similar 
deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired population as 
this State; or 
(3) 
Services 
that 
are 
designed 
to 
maximize 
the 
effectiveness 
of 
telecommunications 
relay 
services 
through the application of new technologies. 
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §8703, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 
851, §7, is amended to read: 
7. 
Recovery 
of 
expenses 
and 
costs. 
The 
costs 
for 
telecommunications relay services must be recovered iE.--t.-he--scHle 
HlaE.E.e~-~£-~~~-~&~&-fe~-£Re-~~~~~~~~r~~-9y-±eea± 
eHeRaE.~e-€a£~ie£6T--Ne~£~£~-~£--t.~~~~~-~~it~-~-c9ili~y-ef 
tRe-~~~~-~-aeterHliE.e--t.~-~~-ef--t.~~~-fer 
F~e¥iaiE.~-tBe6e-6e~¥iee6 through the state universal service fund 
pursuant to section 7104, subsection 6. 
SUMMARY 
This 
bill 
is 
designed 
to 
move 
the 
funding 
source 
for 
telecommunications 
relay 
services 
from 
its 
current 
embedded 
subsidy in local exchange carrier bills into the state universal 
service fund so that it will be funded equally by all intrastate 
telecommunications providers. 
The bill also clarifies that the 
Telecommunications 
Relay 
Services 
Advisory 
Council 
1.S 
the 
appropriate body for forming funding level requirements, and the 
Public 
Utilities 
Commission 
is 
the 
appropriate 
body 
for 
authorizing collection and payment of such funding levels.