An Act to Require Public Safety Answering Point and Dispatch Center Cost Reporting and to Direct the Formation of a Staffing and Recruiting Stakeholder Group
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 2278
Amends: 25 MRSA §2921, 25 MRSA §2923-C, 25 MRSA §2927

Legislative Document
No. 2278
S.P. 993
In Senate, March 25, 2024
An Act to Require Public Safety Answering Point and Dispatch 
Center Cost Reporting and to Direct the Formation of a Staffing 
and Recruiting Stakeholder Group
Reported by Senator LAWRENCE of York for the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, 
Utilities and Technology pursuant to Public Law 2023, chapter 186, section 3.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  25 MRSA §2921, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
4-A.  Dispatch center.  "Dispatch center" means an emergency communications center 
that receives 9-1-1 calls from a public safety answering point rather than receiving the calls 
directly.
Sec. 2.  25 MRSA §2921, sub-§4-B is enacted to read:
4-B.  Emergency communications center.  "Emergency communications center" has 
the same meaning as in Title 17-A, section 509, subsection 1.
Sec. 3.  25 MRSA §2923-C is enacted to read:
§2923-C.  Cost reporting
1.  Reporting requirements.  Annually, on a date prescribed by the bureau by rule, a 
public safety answering point and dispatch center shall each provide the bureau with a 
report of the costs incurred by the public safety answering point or dispatch center for the 
provision of enhanced 9-1-1 services. 
2.  Rules.  The bureau shall adopt rules to implement this section. The rules must 
establish requirements for the report provided by a public safety answering point and 
dispatch center pursuant to subsection 1, including, at a minimum:
A.  The manner by which the report must be submitted to the bureau; 
B.  The specific cost components for the provision of enhanced 9-1-1 services to be 
included in the report; and 
C.  The date by which the report must be submitted. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 4.  25 MRSA §2927, sub-§3-E is enacted to read:
3-E.  Quality assurance review support.  The bureau shall contract with one or more 
3rd-party vendors, using revenues in the E-9-1-1 fund, to provide quality assurance review 
in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to subsection 3-C, paragraph A and Title 32, 
section 85-A, related to the provision of emergency medical dispatch services and 
answering fire 9-1-1 calls by public safety answering points.
Sec. 5.  Public safety answering point staffing crisis stakeholder group.  The 
Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau shall convene a 
stakeholder group to develop a coordinated 9-1-1 staffing and recruiting effort for all public 
safety answering points. The bureau shall ensure that there is stakeholder representation 
from state, county and municipal public safety answering points. On or before February 
21, 2025, the bureau shall submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters a report that includes any recommendations, 
including suggested legislation as necessary. The committee may report out a bill related 
to the report to the 132nd Legislature in 2025.
Sec. 6.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Emergency Services Communication Bureau 0994
Initiative: Provides funding for contracted services to conduct quality assurance reviews.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
2023-24
2024-25
All Other
$0
$100,000
__________
__________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL
$0
$100,000
Emergency Services Communication Bureau 0994
Initiative: Provides funding for one Staff Development Specialist IV position and 
associated costs.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
2023-24
2024-25
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT
0.000
1.000
Personal Services
$0
$88,656
All Other
$0
$16,571
__________
__________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL
$0
$105,227
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
2023-24
2024-25
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
$0
$205,227
__________
__________
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS
$0
$205,227
SUMMARY
This bill is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and 
Technology pursuant to Public Law 2023, chapter 186, section 3. It does the following. 
1.  It requires each public safety answering point and dispatch center to annually 
provide a report to the Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication 
Bureau on the costs they incur for the provision of enhanced 9-1-1 services.
2.  It requires the bureau to contract with one or more 3rd-party vendors, using revenues 
in the E-9-1-1 fund, to provide quality assurance review related to the provision of 
emergency medical dispatch services and answering fire 9-1-1 calls by public safety 
answering points.
3.  It requires the bureau to convene a stakeholder group to develop a coordinated 9-1-1 
staffing and recruiting effort for all public safety answering points.  The bureau must ensure 
that there is representation on the stakeholder group from state, county and municipal 
public safety answering points.  The bureau must submit a report to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters including 
any recommendations. 
4.  It provides funding to the bureau to hire one additional staff member.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
Approved: 03/15/24
LD  2278     
LR 3169(01)
FY 2023-24
FY 2024-25
Projections 
FY 2025-26
Projections 
FY 2026-27
Appropriations/Allocations
Other Special Revenue Funds
$0
$205,227
$208,309
$212,894
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Fiscal Note
This bill includes ongoing allocations of $105,227 to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) starting in fiscal year 
2024-25 for one Staff Development Specialist IV position and associated costs. The bill also includes ongoing 
allocations of $100,000 to the PUC beginning in fiscal year 2024-25 for contracted services to provide quality 
assurance reviews. Additional costs to the Department of Public Safety to participate in a stakeholder group are 
expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
An Act to Require Public Safety Answering Point and Dispatch Center Reporting and to Direct the 
Formation of a Staffing and Recruiting Stakeholder Group
Fiscal Note for Original Bill
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
LR3169(01) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1