Resolve, To Establish a Stakeholder Group To Study the Sale or Lease of the State's Excess Broadband Capacity (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 2292
Committee: Utilities and Energy
Sponsors: DILL, MILLS, BLISS, HINCK, PINGREE, PRATT, THERIAULT

Legislative Document 
No. 2292 
H.P.1653 
House of Representatives, April 1,2008 
Resolve, To Establish a Stakeholder Group To Study the Sale or 
Lease of the State's Excess Broadband Capacity 
(AFTER DEADLINE) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205. 
Reference to the Committee on Utilities and Energy suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative DILL of Cape Elizabeth. 
Cosponsored by Senator MILLS of Somerset and 
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1J7.77!dC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BLISS of South Portland, HINCK of Portland, PINGREE of North Haven, 
PRATT of Eddington, THERIAULT of Madawaska. 
Prmteu nil fee) deLi paper 
Sec. 1. Creation of stakeholder group; membership. Resolved: 
That, 
within its existing resources, the Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security 
shall establish a stakeholder group to study the potential sale or lease of excess broadband 
capacity owned by the State or through the University of Maine System. The stakeholder 
group must include 2 Legislators, one from the House of Representatives appointed by 
the Speaker and one from the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; and be it 
further 
Sec. 2. Duties. Resolved: That the stakeholder group under section 1 shall: 
1. 
Review and identify the financial implications of the transition from analog 
broadcasting to digital broadcasting and review the Federal Communications 
Commission's decision to allow certain institutions that hold licenses for frequencies 
used to broadcast broadband signals to sell the generation of excess broadband capacity, 
since the space occupied by one analog channel can be occupied by several digital 
channels; 
2. Explore the potential of selling or leasing the State's and the University of Maine 
System's excess broadband capacity when the analog channels become digital channels; 
3. Review what other states and educational systems have done in this situation in 
order to find ways to save the state budget allocations from the General Fund and to see 
how these types of savings can be done on a statewide basis. The stakeholder group shall 
pay particular attention to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin educational system's sale of 
broadband valued at $12,600,000, with estimated additional earnings of $108,000,000; 
and 
4. Investigate the University of Maine System's plans to negotiate a contract for its 
excess broadband capacity; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Report. Resolved: That, no later than January 15,2009, the stakeholder 
group under section 1 shall report its findings and recommendations, and any suggested 
legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
utilities and energy matters. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security to 
create a stakeholder group to review the potential sale of the excess capacity that occurs 
during the transition from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting and to report its 
findings and recommendations and any suggested legislation to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters.