An Act To Include Crisis Response Services in Emergency Services Offered through the E-9-1-1 System
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1306
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: MORALES
Amends: 25 MRSA §2921

Legislative Document
No. 1306
H.P. 962
House of Representatives, March 30, 2021
An Act To Include Crisis Response Services in Emergency Services 
Offered  through the E-9-1-1 System
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MORALES of South Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  25 MRSA §2921, sub-§3-A is enacted to read:
3-A.  Crisis response services.  "Crisis response services" means the services offered 
to individuals experiencing mental health emergencies, emergencies relating to a substance 
use disorder or other emergencies for which fire, emergency medical or police services are 
determined not to be required.
Sec. 2.  25 MRSA §2921, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 840, §3, is amended to 
read:
5.  Emergency services.  "Emergency services" includes fire, police, ambulance, 
rescue and crisis response services and other services of an emergency nature identified by 
the commissioner.
Sec. 3.  25 MRSA §2921, sub-§6-A, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 566, §2, is amended 
to read:
6-A.  Private safety agency.  "Private safety agency" means a private entity that 
provides fire, emergency medical or, security or crisis response services.
Sec. 4.  25 MRSA §2921, sub-§6-B, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 566, §2, is amended 
to read:
6-B.  Public safety agency.  "Public safety agency" means a state, county or municipal 
government entity that provides or has the authority to provide fire, emergency medical or, 
police or crisis response services.
Sec. 5.  Emergency Services Communications Bureau; report.  In 
consultation with the Department of Public Safety and the E-9-1-1 Council, established in 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 74-A, the Public Utilities 
Commission, Emergency Services Communications Bureau shall develop protocols and 
procedures necessary to ensure the efficient dispatch of crisis response services, as defined 
in Title 25, section 2921, subsection 3-A, under the State's E-9-1-1 system, which may 
include measures for the training of dispatch staff in the provision of crisis response 
services.  On or before December 1, 2021, the Emergency Services Communications 
Bureau shall submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and 
Technology outlining protocols and procedures necessary to ensure the efficient dispatch 
of crisis response services under the State's E-9-1-1 system and including any 
recommendations, including proposed legislation, necessary to implement such protocols 
and procedures.  After reviewing the report, the joint standing committee may report out 
related legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the law regulating the provision of emergency services under the 
State's E-9-1-1 system by including crisis response services as part of those emergency 
services to be offered to individuals experiencing mental health emergencies, emergencies 
relating to a substance use disorder or other emergencies for which fire, emergency medical 
or police services are determined not to be required.  It also directs the Public Utilities 
Commission, Emergency Medical Services Communications Bureau to develop protocols 
and procedures necessary to ensure the efficient dispatch of such crisis response under the 
E-9-1-1 system and to submit a report on or before December 1, 2021 to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology outlining protocols and procedures and 
including any recommendations needed to implement those protocols and procedures.  
After reviewing the report, the joint standing committee may report out related legislation 
to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.