An Act To Require Credentials for Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Volunteers
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0696
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: GERZOFSKY, DIAMOND, BEAUDOIN, BLANCHETTE, CANAVAN, NORTON, PERCY, RAND, SIMPSON, SMITH
Amends: 37-B MRSA §703, 37-B MRSA §70, 37-B MRSA §784-A

Legislative Document 
No. 696 
H.P.527 
House of Representatives, February 12,2007 
An Act To Require Credentials for Amateur Radio Emergency 
Communications Volunteers 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative GERZOFSKY of Brunswick. 
Cosponsored by Senator DIAMOND of Cumberland and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BEAUDOIN of Biddeford, BLANCHETTE of Bangor, CANAVAN of 
Waterville, NORTON of Bangor, PERCY of Phippsburg, RAND of Portland, SIMPSON of 
Auburn, SMITH of Monmouth. 
Pnnled on rel.:yr.:leti paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 37-B MRSA §703, sub-§2-C is enacted to read: 
2-C. 
Emergency communications volunteer. 
"Emergency communications 
volunteer" means a person who is registered with the agency to engage in emergency 
communications activities in accordance with approved federal, state or local emergency 
operations and communications plans and holds a valid identification card. 
Sec. 2. 37-B MRSA §703, sub-§2-D is enacted to read: 
2-D. 
Identification card. "Identification card" means a one-piece document that 
clearly indicates its nature as an official state document issued to an emergency 
communications volunteer by the agency following registration. 
The card shows the 
agency's logo, a photograph of the person to whom the card is issued and other 
information required or appropriate for the identification of the volunteer. 
Sec. 3. 37-B MRSA §70S-A is enacted to read: 
§70S-A. Emergency communications; rules 
1. 
Emergency communications. 
The director shall adopt rules governing 
registration requirement levels for emergency communications volunteers and adopt rules 
to implement a state radio amateur civil emergency services plan to establish guidelines 
for volunteers to support state and local emergency management agencies during a 
disaster or widespread power outage. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
2. 
Rules. The director shall adopt rules to implement a state radio amateur civil 
emergency services plan, in accordance with Federal Communications Commission and 
Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines, to support back-up communications 
between state and local emergency operations centers; back-up communications for E-9-
I-I centers, fire departments and police departments; emergency communications for 
shelters; and other emergency support as needed. The director shall also adopt rules 
governing registration requirement levels for emergency communications volunteers that 
include, but are not limited to, a valid amateur radio license from the Federal 
Communications Commission, certifications from relevant training courses provided by 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, relevant certifications from the American 
Radio Relay League and procedures for local authorized officials to perform criminal 
history and driving record background checks during the registration process. 
Rules 
adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 4. 37-B MRSA §784-A, as amended by PL 2005, c. 630, §2, IS further 
amended to read: 
Page I -123LR0432(Ol)-1 
§784-A. Right to call for and employ assistance 
The Maine Emergency Management Agency and local organizations for emergency 
management may employ any person considered necessary to assist with emergency 
management activities. All persons called and employed for assistance, including, but 
not limited to, emergency communications volunteers, shall proceed as directed by the 
Maine Emergency Management Agency. Any person called and employed for assistance 
is deemed to be an employee of the State for purposes of immunity from liability 
pursuant to section 822 and for purposes of workers' compensation insurance pursuant to 
section 823, except for persons excluded from the definition of employee pursuant to 
Title 39-A, section 102, subsection II. A health care worker licensed in this State, either 
II 
designated by the Maine Emergency Management Agency to perform emergency 
management or health activities in this State in a declared disaster or civil emergency 
pursuant to section 742 or designated by the Maine Emergency Management Agency to 
render aid in another state under chapter 16, is deemed to be an employee of the State for 
purposes of immunity from liability pursuant to this section and section 926 and for 
purposes of workers' compensation insurance pursuant to sections 823 'and 928, except 
for persons excluded from the definition of employee pursuant to Title 39-A, section 102, 
subsection II. 
SUMMARY 
This bill includes registered emergency communications volunteers among those 
individuals that the Maine Emergency Management Agency may employ to assist with 
emergency management actIvItIes. 
This bill creates a definition for emergency 
communications volunteer that requires volunteers to meet certain requirements before 
they may rcceive a valid identification card from the agency. This bill also directs the 
Director of the Mainc Emergency Management Agency to adopt rules to implement a 
state radio amateur civil emergency services plan in accordance with Federal 
Communications Commission and Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines. 
[t also requires the director to adopt rules governing registration requirement levels for 
emergency communications volunteers.