An Act To Ensure Proper Funding of the Public Utilities Commission II
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0267
Committee Amendment CA_A_H11 (House)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §116

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 223, L.D. 267, Bill, "An Act To Ensure 
Proper Funding of the Public Utilities Commission" 
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Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 1 in the 5th line (page 1, line 16 in L.D.) by 
striking out the following: "operating the commission" and inserting the following: 'the 
Public Utilities Commission Regulatory Fund established pursuant to this section. The 
budget for the Public Utilities Commission Regulatory Fund IS subject to legislative 
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review and approval in accordance with subsection 2' 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 1 the following: 
'Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §116, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1997, c. 424, Pt. B, §4, is 
further amended to read: 
2. Committee recommendations; legislative approval of budget. The commission 
shall submit its budget recommendations as part of the unified current services budget 
legislation in accordance with Title 5, sections 1663 to 1666. The commission shall make 
a presentation of its budget recommendations contained in any current services budget 
legislation and any supplemental budget legislation to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over public utilities matters. The joint standing committee 
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over public utilities matters shall review the 
commission's recommendations and make recommendations to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs 
regarding the budget of the commission, including but not limited to all expenditures 
from the fund established pursuant to this section. The commission shall make an annual 
report in accordance with section 120 of its planned expenditures for the year and on its 
use of funds in the previous year. +He In addition to the assessments authorized under 
this section, the commission may also receive other funds as appropriated or allocated by 
the Legislature.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ·A" to H.P. 223, L.D. 267 
SUMMARY 
This amendment clarifies the role of the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over public utilities matters with respect to review and oversight of 
the Public Utilities Commission, PUC, budget and the Public Utilities Commission 
Regulatory Fund in particular. It amends the provision of law governing the legislative 
approval of the PUC budget to specify that the PUC shall present its budget to the joint 
standing committee and the committee shall make recommendations on the entire budget, 
including the Public Utilities Commission Regulatory Fund. The amendment also 
clarifies the language in the bill regarding the maximum total assessment to specify that 
legislative allocations for the Public Utilities Commission Regulatory Fund govern the 
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total assessment amount. Finally, it also clarifies that the Legislature may allocate, not 
only appropriate, additional funds for the commission. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 02/20107 
~ac 
LD267 
LR 433(02) 
An Act To Ensure Proper Funding of the Public Utilities Commission 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" 
Committee: Utilities and Energy 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium revenue increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Current biennium cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
This legislation replaces the current annual assessment cap of $5,505,000 that can be charged to public utilities with 
language that allows the Public Utilities Commission to assess "sufficient revenue for expenditures allocated by the 
Legislature for the Public Utilities Commission Regulatory Fund." The Public Utilities Commission's budget request 
contained in LD 499, the Governor's proposed biennial budget, is $7,558,277 in fiscal year 2007-08 and $7,797,219 in 
fiscal year 2008-09. The Commission has been using unexpended funds built up from previous assessments to meet 
ongoing expenditures that exceed revenues generated under the existing assessment cap. These balances will no 
longer be available and the Commission will need to either change the cap or curtail its expenditures. Eliminating the 
cap will allow the higher level of expenditures contained in the proposed budget. 
LR0433(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I