An Act To Create Efficiency in E-9-1-1 Call Centers
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1614
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: THIBODEAU, CRAY, PLOWMAN, RECTOR, THOMAS
Amends: 25 MRSA §2923-A, 25 MRSA §2926

Legislative Document 
No. 1614 
S.P. 524 
In Senate, December 20, 2011 
An Act To Create Efficiency in E-9-1-1 Call Centers 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 16, 2011.  Referred to the Committee 
on Energy, Utilities and Technology pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator THIBODEAU of Waldo. 
Cosponsored by Representative CRAY of Palmyra and 
Senators: PLOWMAN of Penobscot, RECTOR of Knox, THOMAS of Somerset. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  25 MRSA §2923-A, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 622, §2, is repealed and the 
following enacted in its place: 
§2923-A.  Public safety answering point service 
1.  Municipal authority.  A municipality may: 
A.  Operate a public safety answering point approved by the bureau pursuant to 
section 2926, subsection 2-A; 
B.  Enter into an agreement with another entity for public safety answering point 
service; or 
C.  Arrange for public safety answering point service through an agreement with 
another government entity that enters into a contract for public safety answering point 
service on behalf of the municipality. 
2.  Department default provider.  If a municipality does not arrange for public 
safety answering point service pursuant to subsection 1, the department shall serve as the 
provider of public safety answering point service to the municipality.  The municipality 
shall pay the department for the provision of that service. 
3.  Term limit.  An agreement under this section to provide public safety answering 
point service may not have a term that is less than 5 years. 
4.  Deposit fees.  Fees received by the department pursuant to this section must be 
deposited in the Consolidated Emergency Communications Fund established in section 
1534. 
Sec. 2.  25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 566, §9, is 
repealed. 
Sec. 3.  25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2, ¶I, as amended by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, 
§3, is further amended to read: 
I.    Procedures for collecting and administering the necessary funds for E-9-1-1; and 
Sec. 4.  25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2, ¶J, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, 
§4, is amended to read: 
J.    Standards and procedures for developing and maintaining the system databases 
and for ensuring the confidentiality of those databases pursuant to section 2929.; and 
Sec. 5.  25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2, ¶K is enacted to read: 
K.  Procedures to route a wireless E-9-1-1 call: 
(1)  To the department's public safety answering point service if the call is 
initiated one mile from or within one mile of the Interstate 95 corridor or the 
Interstate 295 corridor; and 
(2)  To a public safety answering point serving the municipality in which the 
tower receiving the call is located if the call is initiated more than one mile from 
the Interstate 95 corridor or the Interstate 295 corridor unless the bureau 
determines it is necessary to route such calls to a different public safety 
answering point. 
Sec. 6.  25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 420, Pt. A, §28, 
is further amended to read: 
2-A.  Number of public safety answering points.  To the extent possible, the The 
bureau shall establish a total of between 16 and 24 approve a total of 15 to 17 public 
safety answering points.  The bureau shall seek to coordinate any reduction in the number 
of public safety answering points to achieve this goal with any contractual obligations it 
may have or may enter into that are or could be affected by that reduction.  Prior to 
implementing a reduction in the number of public safety answering points, the bureau 
shall make a finding regarding the need for the reduction based on an evaluation of the 
costs and benefits of the reduction, taking into account impacts on ratepayers, each of the 
affected municipalities and the State. 
Sec. 7.  Transition.  The following provisions govern the reduction of public safety 
answering points from 26 to a total of 15 to 17 pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 25, section 2926, subsection 2-A. 
1.  The Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau 
shall reduce the number of public safety answering points in conjunction with the 
implementation of its contract or contracts for E-9-1-1 services to be executed in 2012. 
2.  The bureau shall establish public safety answering points in the locations 
identified in its Public Safety Answering Point Reconfiguration Plan dated November 1, 
2010. 
3.  By August 1, 2012, a municipality shall identify which of the 17 established 
public safety answering points will be providing public safety answering point service to 
that municipality. 
4.  Nothing in this section limits the bureau from reconfiguring, in accordance with 
applicable laws, the location of public safety answering points after establishing the 17 
public safety answering points identified in its Public Safety Answering Point 
Reconfiguration Plan dated November 1, 2010. 
SUMMARY 
This bill changes the goal of the Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services 
Communication Bureau to establish a total of 16 to 24 public safety answering points to a 
requirement that the bureau establish a total of 15 to 17 public safety answering points.  It 
requires the bureau to design the E-9-1-1 system to route a wireless E-9-1-1 call initiated 
more than one mile from the Interstate 95 or 295 corridor to the public safety answering 
point serving the municipality in which the tower receiving the call is located unless the 
bureau determines the wireless calls should be routed to a different public safety 
answering point.  It requires the bureau to design the  E-9-1-1 system to route a wireless  
E-9-1-1 call initiated one mile or less from the Interstate 95 or 295 corridor to the 
Department of Public Safety.  This bill clarifies that municipalities may arrange for public 
safety answering point service through an agreement with another government entity and 
prohibits a contract to provide public safety answering point service from having a term 
of less than 5 years.