An Act Regarding Telephone and Video Call Access in Detention
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0647
Sponsors: MILLIKEN, CARNEY
Amends: 30-A MRSA §1566, 34-A MRSA §3015

Legislative Document
No. 647
H.P. 415
House of Representatives, February 25, 2025
An Act Regarding Telephone and Video Call Access in Detention 
and Correctional Facilities and Jails
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 20, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Criminal Justice and Public Safety pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MILLIKEN of Blue Hill.
Cosponsored by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland and
Representatives: BISHOP of Bucksport, BOYER of Poland, FREDERICKS of Sanford, 
GUERRETTE of Caribou, MATHIESON of Kittery, SARGENT of York, SAYRE of 
Kennebunk, WARREN of Scarborough.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  30-A MRSA §1566, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 615, Pt. B, §1, is amended to 
read:
§1566.  Telephone and video call services in jails
Beginning October 1, 2022 2025, a jail and a service provider that contracts with the 
jail to provide telephone and video call services for residents of the jail shall provide 
telephone and video call services in accordance with this section.  
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.  
A.  "Jail" means a county or municipal detention facility for which standards are set by 
the Commissioner of Corrections under Title 34‑A, section 1208 or a facility for which 
standards are set by the Commissioner of Corrections under Title 34‑A, section 
1208‑A.
B.  "Resident" means a person who resides in a jail.
C.  "Service provider" means an entity that provides telephone or video call services 
by contract with a jail through which a resident initiates outgoing telephone or video 
calls from the jail.
2.  Requirements for service providers.  A service provider that enters into or renews 
a contract on or after October 1, 2022 2025 with a jail to provide outgoing interstate and 
intrastate telephone and video call services is subject to the following requirements.  The 
rates and charges that the service provider may charge for interstate and intrastate telephone 
calls made by residents may not exceed the rates for interstate telephone calls adopted by 
the Federal Communications Commission in effect on the date of the contract.
A.  The rates and charges that the service provider may charge for interstate and 
intrastate telephone and video calls made by residents may not exceed the rates for 
interstate telephone and video calls adopted by the Federal Communications 
Commission in effect on the date of the contract.
B.  A service provider may not charge a fee to a resident, a jail or a county or 
municipality for providing the free outgoing telephone or video calls required pursuant 
to subsection 3, paragraphs A and B.
C.  A service provider may not charge a connection fee to a resident to initiate an 
outgoing telephone or video call.
D.  A service provider shall permit the receiving party of a telephone or video call to 
terminate the telephone or video call prior to connection without the resident or 
receiving party incurring a charge.
E.  A service provider may not block a collect telephone or video call to a receiving 
party because the service provider lacks a prior billing relationship with the receiving 
party's telephone or video call service provider unless the service provider offers debit, 
prepaid or prepaid collect calling options.
F.  A service provider, prior to connecting a telephone or video call, shall identify itself 
to the receiving party and disclose to the receiving party how to obtain rate quotations.
G.  A service provider may not charge a fee to deposit money into a resident’s telephone 
or video call account.
3.  Resident right to make telephone and video calls.  A sheriff or jailer shall provide 
a resident with a reasonable opportunity to make interstate and intrastate telephone and 
video calls in accordance with jail policies and institutional procedures and in accordance 
with the following.
A.  A sheriff or jailer shall provide a resident with a reasonable opportunity to make 
telephone and video calls to relatives and friends, except that the sheriff or jailer may 
restrict or prohibit telephone and video calls when the restriction or prohibition is 
necessary for the security of the jail.  A sheriff or jailer shall provide to a resident who 
has less than $50 in the resident's jail account a telephone and video call allowance for 
minutes of free telephone and video calls per week under this paragraph.  Unused 
minutes must carry over to the next week.
B.  A sheriff or jailer shall provide a resident with a reasonable opportunity to make 
telephone and video calls protected by the attorney-client privilege.  A sheriff or jailer 
shall provide a resident free telephone and video calls with the resident's attorney.
Sec. 2.  34-A MRSA §3015, as amended by PL 2023, c. 217, §1, is further amended 
to read:
§3015.  Telephone and video call services in Department of Corrections facilities
Beginning October 1, 2022 2025, the department and a service provider that contracts 
with the department to provide telephone and video call services for residents of a 
department facility shall provide telephone and video call services in accordance with this 
section.
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Department facility" means a detention facility or correctional facility.
B.  "Resident" means a person who resides in a department facility.
C.  "Service provider" means an entity that provides telephone or video call services 
by contract with the department through which a resident initiates outgoing telephone 
or video calls from a department facility.
2.  Resident right to make telephone and video calls.  The department shall provide 
a resident with a reasonable opportunity to make interstate and intrastate telephone and 
video calls in accordance with departmental policies and institutional procedures and in 
accordance with the following.
A.  The department shall provide a resident with a reasonable opportunity to make 
telephone and video calls to relatives and friends, except that the department may 
restrict or prohibit telephone and video calls when the restriction or prohibition is 
necessary for the security of the department facility. The department shall provide to a 
resident who has less than $10 in the resident's facility account a free telephone and 
video call allowance for 30 90 minutes of free telephone and video calls per week under 
this paragraph.  Unused minutes must carry over to the next week.
B.  The department shall provide a resident with a reasonable opportunity to make 
telephone and video calls protected by the attorney-client privilege.  The department 
shall provide to a resident who has less than $10 in the resident's facility account a free 
telephone call allowance for 30 minutes of telephone calls per week under this 
paragraph and video calls with the resident's attorney.
The chief administrative officer of each department facility shall draft, publish and 
implement guidelines governing resident access to free telephone and video calls as 
required by paragraphs A and B in that facility.
3.  Requirements for service providers.  A service provider that enters into or renews 
a contract on or after October 1, 2022 2025 with the department to provide outgoing 
interstate and intrastate telephone and video call services is subject to the following 
requirements.  
A.  The rates and charges that the service provider may charge for interstate and 
intrastate telephone and video calls made by residents may not exceed the rates for 
interstate telephone and video calls adopted by the Federal Communications 
Commission in effect on the date of the contract.
B.  A service provider may not charge a fee to a resident, the department facility or the 
department for providing the free outgoing telephone or video calls required pursuant 
to subsection 2, paragraphs A and B.
C.  A service provider may not charge a connection fee to a resident to initiate an 
outgoing telephone or video call.  
D.  A service provider shall permit the receiving party of a telephone or video call to 
terminate the telephone or video call prior to connection without the resident or 
receiving party incurring a charge.
E.  A service provider may not block a collect telephone or video call to a receiving 
party because the service provider lacks a prior billing relationship with the receiving 
party's telephone or video call service provider unless the service provider offers debit, 
prepaid or prepaid collect calling options.
F.  A service provider, prior to connecting a telephone or video call, shall identify itself 
to the receiving party and disclose to the receiving party how to obtain rate quotations.
G.  A service provider may not charge a fee to deposit money into a resident’s telephone 
or video call account.
Sec. 3.  Application. That portion of this Act that amends the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 30-A, section 1566, subsection 2 applies to all contracts for telephone and 
video call services entered into or renewed by or on behalf of a jail on or after October 1, 
2025. That portion of this Act that amends Title 34-A, section 3015, subsection 3 applies 
to all contracts for telephone and video call services entered into or renewed by the 
Department of Corrections on or after October 1, 2025.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the laws governing telephone services for residents of detention and 
correctional facilities and jails to include video call services.  For a detention or correctional 
facility administered by the Department of Corrections, it requires the department to 
provide a resident a telephone and video call allowance for 90 minutes of free telephone 
and video calls per week.  The department also must provide a resident free telephone and 
video calls with the resident's attorney. A service provider may not charge a fee to deposit 
money into a resident's telephone or video call account. For a municipal or county jail, it 
requires the sheriff or jailer to provide a resident with a reasonable opportunity to make 
telephone and video calls to relatives and friends, except that the sheriff or jailer may 
restrict or prohibit telephone and video calls when the restriction or prohibition is necessary 
for the security of the jail.  The sheriff or jailer must provide to a resident who has less than 
$50 in the resident's jail account a telephone and video call allowance for 90 minutes of 
free telephone and video calls per week.  The sheriff or jailer also must provide a resident 
with a reasonable opportunity to make telephone and video calls protected by the attorney-
client privilege.  The sheriff or jailer must provide a resident free telephone and video calls 
with the resident's attorney. The bill specifies requirements for service providers regarding 
outgoing interstate and intrastate telephone and video calls.