An Act To Improve the Safety and Survival of 9-1-1 Callers and First Responders
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1256
Committee Amendment CA_A_H268 (House)
Amends: 25 MRSA §2927

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 856, L.D. 1256, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve the Safety and Survival of 9-1-1 Callers and First Responders" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2927, sub-§3-C is enacted to read: 
3-C. Payment for standardized dispatch protocols for fire 9-1-1 calls. To assist 
public safety answering points in the adoption and implementation of standardized 
dispatch protocols for answering fire 9-1-1 calls, the bureau shall use up to 5¢ of each 
surcharge collected under subsections l-E and I-F to provide public safety answering 
points dispatcher training consistent with the protocols, necessary software and printed 
support materials. The bureau shall provide quality assurance training and software to 
assist public safety answering points in ensuring compliance with the protocols. 
A. 
The bureau shall adopt rules related to the adoption, implementation and 
administration of standardized dispatch protocols for answering fire 9-1-1 calls. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in 
Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 2. Protocol phase-in. The Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services 
Communication Bureau shall phase in over a 3-year period the required adoption and 
implementation of standardized dispatch protocols for answering fire 9-1-1 calls by all 
public safety answering points under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 25, section 2927, 
subsection 3-C. In developing criteria pursuant to section 2927, subsection 3-C to phase 
in over a 3-year period the adoption and implementation of standardized· dispatch 
protocols for answering fire 9-1-1 calls, the bureau shall seek input from the management 
of all public safety answering points. 
Sec. 3. Report. By January 15,2019, the Public Utilities Commission, Emergency 
Services Communication Bureau shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of 
the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters that includes the cost 
to adopt and implement standardized dispatch protocols for answering po lice 9-1-1 calls, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
".0\ '0. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"A" to H.P. 856, L.D. 1256 
the time it would take to phase in the adoption and implementation of standardized 
dispatch protocols for answering police 9-1-1 calls based on available funding from the 
surcharge in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title .25, section 2927, subsections 1-E and 1-F, 
whether there should be a certification and licensing requirement for all standardized 
dispatch protocols and any recommendations to ensure the efficient and effective 
oversight of the standardized dispatch protocols. The joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters may submit legislation 
during the' First Regular Session ofthe 129th Legislature relating to the report. 
Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. 
The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION 
Emergency Services 'Communication Bureau 0994 
Initiative: Provides allocations in fiscal years 2015-16 and 2016-17 to provide public 
safety answering points dispatcher training for answering fire 9-1-1 calls, software, 
printed support materials and quality assurance training. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
2015-16 
$904,466 
$904,466 
2016-17 
$616,329 
$616,329 
This amendment changes the adoption and implementation of standardized dispatch 
protocols from voluntary to mandatory and limits those protocols to only fire calls, 
instead of police and fire as in the hill. 
This amendment phases in adoption and 
implementation over a 3-year period and requires the Public Utilities Commission, 
Emergency Services Communication Bureau to adopt routine technical rules, with input 
from all public safety answering point managing entities, that identify the phase-in 
process and address program administration. 
Lastly, this amendment directs the 
Emergency Services Communication Bureau to submit a report to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters that 
includes cost estimates for the adoption and implementation of standardized dispatch 
protocols for answering police 9-1-1- calls, the time it would take to phase in these 
protocols based on available funding from the surcharge in the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 25, section 2927, subsections 1-E and I-F, whether there should be a certification 
and licensing requirement for all standardized dispatch protocols and any other 
recommendations to ensure efficient and effective oversight of the standardized dispatch 
protocols. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
utilities and energy matters may submit legislation during the First Regular Session of the 
129th Legislature relating to the report. 
The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
F;SCAL l'iOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: OS/24/15 
.mnc 
LD 1256 
LR 1009(02) 
An Act To Improve the Safety and Survival of 9-1-1 Callers and First Responders 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "/1 ( JI-..l Io!?) 
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2015-16 
FY 2016-17 
Projections 
FY 2017-18 
Projections 
FY 2018-19 
Appropriations! Allocations 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$904,466 
$616,329 
$0 
$0 
The bill requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to assist public safety answering points for fire 9-1-1 calls. 
The PUC must provide dispatcher training, software, support materials and quality assurance training to assist public 
safety answering points in being compliant with certain protocols. This bill allows the PUC to spend up to 5 cents per 
statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge and statewide prepaid wireless telecommunications service E-9-1-1 surcharge for these 
purposes. The bill includes Other Special Revenue Funds allocations of$904,466 in fiscal year 2015-16 and $616,329 
in fiscal year 2016-17 to the PUC to allow expenditure of the revenue received from the surcharges for the purposes in 
the bill. 
LRlO09(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1