An Act To Preserve Statewide Public Broadcasting
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0266
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: RA YE, PINGREE, BRYANT, CRAVEN, DAMON, DAVIS, JACKSON, MITCHELL, NUTTING, RECTOR, ROSEN, SCHNEIDER, SHERMAN, SMITH, AYOTTE, BICKFORD, BURNS, CLEARY, CURTIS, DRISCOLL, EDGECOMB, GIFFORD, GILES, MARTIN, MILLER, MILLETT, PERCY, PERRY, SAVIELLO, SOCTOMAH, SUTHERLAND, TILTON, WAGNER, WHEELER
Amends: 20-A MRSA §852

FIRST REGULAR SESSIOr-~-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 266 
S.P.89 
January 27,2009 
An Act To Preserve Statewide Public Broadcasting 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Senator RA YE of Washington. 
Cosponsored by Speaker PINGREE of North Haven and 
9rf)(J~ 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: BRYANT of Oxford, CRAVEN of Androscoggin, DAMON of Hancock, DAVIS of 
Cumberland, JACKSON of Aroostook, President MITCHELL of Kennebec, NUTTING of 
Androscoggin, RECTOR of Knox, ROSEN of Hancock, SCHNEIDER of Penobscot, 
SHERMAN of Aroostook, SMITH of Piscataquis, Representatives: AYOTTE of Caswell, 
BICKFORD of Auburn, BURNS of Whiting, CLEARY of Houlton, CURTIS of Madison, 
DAVIS of Sangerville, DRISCOLL of Westbrook, EDGECOMB of Caribou, GIFFORD of 
Lincoln, GILES of Belfast, MARTIN of Eagle Lake, McFADDEN of Dennysville, MILLER of 
Somerville, MILLETT of Waterford, PERCY of Phippsburg, PERRY of Calais, SAVIELLO of 
Wilton, SOCTOMAH of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, SUTHERLAND of Chapman, TILTON of 
Harrington, WAGNER of Lewiston, WHEELER of Kittery. 
Printed on recycled pnper 
" 
Be it enacted by the Peop"le of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §852, sub-§4 is enacted to read: 
4. Condition of funding. An entity receiving an appropriation or allocation of state 
funds to support the statewide public broadcasting network or a corporation operating the 
statewide public broadcasting network shall operate, equip and maintain facilities to 
ensure delivery of broadcast sources throughout the State, including at least the television 
transmitters and radio towers identified under paragraphs A and B that were in operation 
on January 1, 2009 or an equivalent network of transmitters and towers providing 
equivalent or expanded broadcast coverage throughout the State: 
A. The transmitters for television stations located in Presque Isle, Calais, Orono, 
Augusta and Biddeford; and 
B. The radio towers for radio stations located in Fort Kent, Presque Isle, Calais, 
Bangor, Waterville, Camden and Portland. 
An appropriation or allocation of state funds may not be made to support the statewide 
public broadcasting network or any corporation operating the statewide public 
broadcasting network if this condition is not met, and if this condition is violated during 
any state fiscal year in which such an appropriation or allocation has been made the entity 
receiving the appropriation or allocation shall return the full amount of that appropriation 
or allocation to the Treasurer of State no later than 15 business days after the beginning of 
the next state fiscal year. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires, as a condition of receiving state funding, that the Maine Public 
Broadcasting Network operate all of its existing radio towers and television transmitters 
or an equivalent network providing equal or better broadcast coverage. If the condition is 
violated, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network must return the state funding. 
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