An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs Regarding the Telecommunications Relay Services Advisory Council Pursuant to Reviews Conducted under the State Government Evaluation Act
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 2105
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-G, 5 MRSA §12004-I, 35-A MRSA §8704

Legislative Document 
No. 2105 
H.P.1495 
House of Representatives, April 10, 2006 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs Regarding the 
Telecommunications Relay Services Advisory Council Pursuant to 
Reviews Conducted under the State Government Evaluation Act 
Reported by Representative NORTON of Bangor for the Joint Standing Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 955, 
subsection 4. 
Printed on recycled paper 
1?1~ 
/J7.7J?~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 3 MRS A §959, sub-§I, 1JE, as amended by PL 2003, c. 
600, §1, is further amended to read: 
E. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs shall use 
the following list as a guideline for scheduling reviews: 
t*}--~e~e€emffiQ£4€~~4e£~-~~~~~-AGY~&&ry-~eQRei* 
iR-a9get 
(2) 
Department of Education in 2005; 
\ 
(2-A) 
State Board of Education in 2005; 
(3) 
Maine Arts Commission in 2007; 
(5) 
Maine Historic Preservation Commission in 2007; 
(5-A) 
Notwithstanding section 952, 
Maine Historical 
Society in 2007; 
(6) 
Maine Library Commission in 2007; 
(6-A) 
Maine State Cultural Affairs Council in 2007; 
(6-B) 
Maine State Library in 2007; 
(6-C) 
Maine State Museum in 2007; 
(7) 
Maine State Museum Commission in 2007; 
(8) 
Office of State Historian in 2007; 
(9) 
Board of Trustees of the Maine Maritime Academy in 
2009; 
(10) 
Board of Trustees of the University of Maine 
System in 2009; 
(12) 
Maine Community College System in 2009; 
(13) 
Maine Health and Higher Educational Facilities 
Authority in 2011; and 
(14) 
Maine Educational Loan Authority in 2011. 
Sec. 2. 3MRSA§959,sub-§I,1[P, as amended by PL 2003, c. 600, 
§1, is further amended to read: 
P. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters shall use the 
following list as a guideline for scheduling reviews: 
(1) 
Public Advocate in 2005; 
(2) 
Board of Directors, 
Maine Municipal 
and Rural 
Electrification Cooperative Agency in 2007; 
(3) 
Public Utilities Commission in 2007; aBe 
(4) 
The Emergency Services Communication Bureau within 
the Department of Public Safety in 2009T~ 
(5) 
Telecommunications Relay Services Adyisory Council 
in 2013. 
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§30-C is enacted to read: 
~ 
Public 
Utilities 
Telecommuni-
NQt 
cations 
Authorized 
~ 
35-A MRSA 
§.li.O..4 
Services 
Advisory 
Council 
Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§74-A-l, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 
851, §2, is repealed. 
Sec. 5. 35-A MRSA §8704, first 1J, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 
851, §7, is amended to read: 
The Telecommunications Relay Services Advisory Council, as 
established by Title 
5, 
section 
16QQ4-~ 12004-G, 
subsection 
14-A-l ~, shall evaluate telecommunications relay services in 
this State and provide advice to providers of telecommunications 
relay services. 
Sec. 6. 35-A MRSA §8704, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 
851, §7, is amended to read: 
5. 
Powers and duties. 
The advisory council shall evaluate 
telecommunications relay services in this State and shall advise 
providers 
of 
telecommunications 
relay 
services 
regarding 
telecommunications 
relay service matters, 
including, 
but 
not 
limited 
to, 
the 
development 
of 
training 
standards 
and 
an 
evaluation of the service being provided, including the quality 
and availability of that service. 
The advisory council may enter 
into contracts with teleco
r 1munications 
relay~vice providers 
for the purpose of providing telecommunications relay services. 
SUMMARY 
This 
bill 
implements 
the 
recommendations 
of 
the 
Joint 
Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to 
its review of the Telecommunications 
Relay Services Advisory 
Council under the State Government Evaluation Act. 
This 
bill 
gives 
the 
Telecommunications 
Relay 
Services 
Advisory Council the authority to enter into contracts with 
telecommunications relay service providers for the purpose of 
providing telecommunications services to persons who are deaf, 
hearing 
impaired 
or 
speech 
impaired. 
Because 
of 
this 
new 
contracting authority, the advisory council is reallocated from 
its current status in the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 5, 
section 12004-1 as an advisory board with minimal authority to 
Title 5, section 12004-G, which lists general government boards 
with contracting authority. 
The bill also changes the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
the review of the advisory council under the State Government 
Evaluation 
Act 
from 
the 
joint 
standing 
committee 
of 
the 
Legislature 
having 
jurisdiction 
over 
education 
and 
cultural 
affairs to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters and requires that 
the advisory council be reviewed by that committee in 2013. 
FISCAL:\OTE KEQLlRED 
(See attached) 
Approved: 04/07/06 ;:t;?ac:... 
LD 2105 
LR 3247(01) 
An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 
Cultural Affairs Regarding the Telec9mmunications Relay Services Advisory Council 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Committee Bill 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
No net fiscal impact - State Universal Service Fund 
Activities of the Telecommunications Relay Services Advisory Council are currently funded through the State 
Universal Service Fund pursuant to 35-A MRSA section 7104, subsection 7. Moving the advisory council under Title 
5, section 12004-G and -requiring a review by the Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy in 2013 will have 
no net fiscal impact because funding will still be provided from the same fund. 
LR3247(l) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1