An Act To Establish the Maine Enterprise Commerce Center of Augusta
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1295
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MOODY, LERMAN, SA VIELLO, SMITH, MITCHELL

Legislative Document 
No. 1295 
H.P.892 
House of Representatives, March 15, 2005 
An Act To Establish the Maine Enterprise Commerce Center of 
Augusta 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative MOODY of Manchester. 
7J'l~ 1J7. 771dC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representatives: LERMAN of Augusta, SA VIELLO of Wilton, SMITH of 
Monmouth, Senator: MITCHELL of Kennebec. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. I. 20-A MRSA c. 436 is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 436 
MAINE ENTERPRISE CCMmRCE CENTER OF AUGUSTA 
§12901. 
Maine Enterprise Commerce Center of Augusta established 
The Maine Enterprise Commerce Center of Augusta, referred to 
in this chapter 
as 
"the center," is established within the 
University of Maine System. 
The center must be located on the 
campus of the University of Maine at Augusta. 
The mission of the 
center 
is 
to 
provide 
a 
statewide 
vehicle 
for 
interactive 
electronic instruction through an interactive television network, 
the Internet and other technology to: 
1. 
Access programs. 
Enable persons 
who 
lack 
access 
to 
educational programs and workforce training because of limited 
mobili ty or other reasons to have access to those programs and 
that training; 
2. 
Provide clearinghouse. Provide a clearinghouse for small 
business promotion and services; and 
3. 
Improve educational and economic opportunity. Promote a 
strategy for improving educational and economic opportunity for 
all people in the State. 
§12902. 
Duties 
The center shall provide: 
1. 
Entrepreneurship assistance. Entrepreneurship assistance; 
2. Small business education and training. Small business 
education and training; 
3. 
Links between private and public sectors. Links between 
the private and public sectors; 
4. 
Resource center. A resource center for economic issues 
of specific interest to central and northern Maine; and 
5. 
Educational programs. 
Educational programs, 
including 
continuing occupational and professional education. 
§12903. 
Administration: rules 
The center is administered by the Board of Trustees of the 
University of Maine System, referred to in this chapter as "the 
board." 
The board may appoint a director of the center and any 
other staff the board considers necessary for the implementation 
of the center I s duties and purposes. 
The board may adopt rules 
to 
implement 
this 
chapter. 
Rules 
adopted pursuant 
to this 
section are 
routine technical rules, 
as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
§12904. 
Funding 
The center is authorized to accept any public or private 
funds that may be available for carrying out the purposes of this 
chapter. 
The center shall repay any funds appropriated from the 
General Fund to the center wi thin 2 years from the date those 
funds are disbursed. 
The center is authorized to collaborate 
with any private nonprofit or for-profit organizations for the 
purpose of seeking or soliciting funds to carry out the purposes 
of this chapter. 
Sec. 2. Transfer of equipment and assets. 
By July 1, 2006, all 
equipment 
and other assets that are part of the interactive 
television network currently housed at the University of Maine at 
Augusta are transferred to the Maine Enterprise Commerce Center 
of Augusta. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes the Maine Enterprise Commerce Center 
of Augusta within the University of Maine 
System to provide 
educational services, small business promotion and services and 
economic development resources, through an interactive television 
network, the Internet and other technology, to people throughout 
the State 
and 
to provide specific resources 
and 
information 
concerning economic issues of interest to central and northern 
Maine. 
The bill transfers the equipment and assets that are part 
of the interactive television network currently housed at the 
University of Maine at Augusta to the new center.