An Act Regarding Positions at the Public Utilities Commission
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1895
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: LAWRENCE, BERRY
Amends: 2 MRSA §6-A, 5 MRSA §949, 35-A MRSA §107

Legislative Document
No. 1895
S.P. 647
In Senate, December 24, 2019
An Act Regarding Positions at the Public Utilities Commission
Submitted by the Public Utilities Commission pursuant to Joint Rule 203.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 20, 2019.  Referred to the Committee 
on Energy, Utilities and Technology pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator LAWRENCE of York.
Cosponsored by Representative BERRY of Bowdoinham.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  2 MRSA §6-A, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2015, c. 8, §1, is further 
amended to read:
3.  Other employees.  The salaries of the following employees are within salary 
range 53:
A.  General counsel;
B.  Director of telephone and water utility industries;
C.  Administrative Director;
D.  Director of electric and gas utility industries; and
E.  Director of consumer assistance and safety.; and
F.  Director of emergency services communication.
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §949, as amended by PL 2015, c. 8, §2, is further amended to 
read:
§949.  Public Utilities Commission
1.  Major policy-influencing positions.  The following positions are major policy-
influencing positions within the Public Utilities Commission.  Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, these positions and their successor positions shall be are subject to this 
chapter:
A.  General Counsel - Public Utilities Commission;
B.  Director of telephone and water utility industries;
C.  Administrative Director;
D.  Director of electric and gas utility industries; and
E.  Director of consumer assistance and safety.; and
F.  Director of emergency services communication.
Sec. 3.  35-A MRSA §107, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2015, c. 8, §3, is 
further amended to read:
A.  An administrative director, a director of telephone and water utility industries, a 
director of electric and gas utility industries and, a director of consumer assistance 
and safety and a director of emergency services communication;
Sec. 4.  35-A MRSA §107, sub-§2, ¶A, as amended by PL 2015, c. 8, §4, is 
further amended to read:
A.  The general counsel, the administrative director, the assistant administrative 
director, the director of telephone and water utility industries, the director of electric 
and gas utility industries and, the director of consumer assistance and safety and the 
director of emergency services communication serve at the pleasure of the 
commission and their salaries must be set by the commission within the ranges 
established by Title 2, section 6-A.
Sec. 5.  35-A MRSA §107, sub-§2, ¶C, as amended by PL 2015, c. 8, §5, is 
further amended to read:
C.  The salaries of the other subordinate officials and employees of the commission, 
other than those of the general counsel, the administrative director, the assistant 
administrative director, the director of telephone and water utility industries, the 
director of electric and gas utility industries, the director of consumer assistance and 
safety, the director of emergency services communication and the staff attorney and 
utility analyst positions, are subject to the Civil Service Law.
Sec. 6.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Public Utilities - Administrative Division 0184
Initiative:  Provides funding for 2 Utility Analyst positions and a Senior Consumer 
Assistance Specialist position and associated All Other costs.
Emergency Services Communication Bureau 0994
Initiative:  Provides funding for one Public Service Coordinator II position and associated 
All Other costs.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
2019-20
2020-21
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT
0.000
3.000
Personal Services
$0
$364,565
All Other
$0
$24,618
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL
$0
$389,183
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
2019-20
2020-21
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT
0.000
1.000
Personal Services
$0
$106,384
All Other
$0
$6,431
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL
$0
$112,815
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
2019-20
2020-21
SUMMARY
This bill reclassifies the Public Utilities Commission's director of emergency services 
communication to be consistent with other commission directors.  The bill also adds 4 
positions to the commission: a Utility Analyst to perform utility rate case revenue 
requirement analysis and other activities; a Utility Analyst to perform communications 
and customer outreach activities; a Senior Consumer Assistance Specialist to perform 
administrative work in the receipt, analysis and resolution of consumer complaints; and a 
Public Service Coordinator II to perform 9-1-1 standards compliance, contract 
management and other tasks related to the administration of the Emergency Services 
Communication Bureau.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
$0
$501,998
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS
$0
$501,998