An Act Regarding
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0647
Committee Amendment CA_A_H599 (House)
Amends: 30-A MRSA §1561, 34-A MRSA §3015, 34-A MRSA §3031, 34-A MRSA §3039

FmST SPECIAL SESSION
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/\" to H.P. 415, L.D. 647, "An Act Regarding
Telephone and Video Call Access in Detention and Correctional Facilities and Jails"
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
'An Act to Expand County Jail and Correctional Facility Services to Indigent
Residents'
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following:
'See. 1. 30-A MRSA §1561, sub-§l, ^H, as enacted by PL 1995, c, 201, §1, is
amended to read:
H. Has less than $1^ $100 in the prisoner's facility account and did not receive
additional money from any source for 6 months followmg the medical or dental service
or provision of the prescription, medication or prosthetic device.
Sec. 2. 34-A MRSA §3015, sub-§2, ^A, as enacted by PL 2021,c. 615, Pt, A,§1,
is amended to read:
A. The department shall provide a resident with a reasonable opportunity to make
telephone calls to relatives and friends, except that the department may restrict or
prohibit telephone 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
$4-9 $100 in the resident's facility account a free telephone call allowance for 30
minutes of telephone calls per week under this paragraph.
Sec. 3. 34-A MRSA §3015, sub-§2, ^B, as enacted by PL 2021,c. 615, Ft. A,§1,
is amended to read;
B, The department shall provide a resident with a reasonable opportunity to make
telephone calls protected by the attomey-client privilege. The department shall provide
to a resident who has less than $10 $100 ia the resident's facility account a free
telephone call allowance for 30 minutes of telephone calls per week under this
paragraph.
I
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
; „'•„':,~.., COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "^\ " to H.P. 415, L.D. 647
Sec. 4. 34-A MRSA §3031, sub-§2, ^[A, as amended by PL 2015, c. 291, §5, is
further amended by amending subparagraph (8) to read:
(8) Has less than $i-§- $100 in the client's facility account and did not receive
additional money from any source for 6 months following the medical or dental
service or provision of the prescription, medication or prosthetic device,
Sec. 5. 34-A MRSA §3039, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
7. FaciUtv services charees. Notwithstandine any urovision of law to the contrary, a
correctional facility or detention facility may not charge a client who has less than $100 in
the client's facility account for any facility services. A correctional facility or detention
faciUtv may notBreyent a client from using any facility services based solely on the client's
inability to nav. If a chief administrative officer. or the chief administrative officer's
desjenee. determines that a client has manbulated funds in the client's facility account for
the ourposes ofobtaminK free facilifrv_seryices, the chief administrative officer, or the chief
administrative officer's desienee. may charee the client for facility services, even if the
client would otherwise qualify for free facility services, for un to 90 days. For the purposes
of this subsection, "facility services" mcludes. but is not limited to. telephone services.
medical services, dental services and mailine services. This subsection may not be
constmed to aoolv to comiTiissarv sales under section 3012.
Sec. 6. Appropriations and aUocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made,
CORRECTIONS, DEPARTMENT OF
Administration - Corrections 0141
Initiative: Provides funding for telephone and video calls, and postage, that are no longer
paid by residents.
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
AU Other $3,050,400 $3,050,400
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $3,050,400 $3,050,400
'
Amend the bill by reletteriag or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the minority report of the committee, replaces the bill and
changes the title, The amendment reduces the financial barrier regarding when a client in a
correctional or detention facility is eligible for free medical, dental and telecommunications
services and reduces the financial barrier regarding when a prisoner in a county jail is
eligible for free medical or dental services. The amendment also prohibits a correctional
facility or detention facility from charging a client for the use of facility services if the
client has less than $ 100 in the client's facility account or preventing the client from using
the facility services based solely on the client's inability to pay. If the chief administrative
officer of a correctional facility or detention facility determines a client has manipulated
the client's facility account funds for the purposes of obtaining free facility services, the
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " j\" to H.P, 415, L.D. 647
"A"'
chief administrative officer may charge the client for facility services, even if the client
would otherwise qualify for free facility services, for up to 90 days. The amendment also
adds an appropriations and allocations section.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved; 06/01/25
L-KL-
LD 647 LR 569(02)
An Act Regarding Telephone and Video Call Access in Detention and Correctional Facilities and Jails
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'y\"
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Potential State Mandate - Unfunded
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund
Appropriations/AIlocations
General Fund
Projections Projections
FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27 FY 2027-28 FY 2028-29
$3,050,400 $3,050,400 $3,050,400 $3,050,4^
$3,050,400 $3,050,400 $3,050,400 $3,050,400
State JVIandates
Required Activity
Increases the minimum amount prisoners in county jails must have in their facility
accounts before paying for certain services.
Unit Affected
County
Local Cost
Moderate
statewide
The required local activities in this bill may represent a state mandate pursuant to the Constitution of Maine. If the bill
does require a local unit of government to expand or modify its activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures
from local revenue, the state mandate provisions of the Constitution of Maine require either: (1) General Fund
appropriations be provided to fund at least 90% of any additional necessitated local costs of the mandate; or (2) a
Mandate Preamble be added to the bill and two-thirds of the members of each House vote to exempt the mandate from
the funding requirement, If the bill does represent a state mandate and neither one of these actions occurs, the local
units of government will not be required to implement the mandated activities,
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The bill provides that residents with less than $100 in the resident's facility account are provided free calls and
postage. The bill increased this amount from $10. The bill includes General Fund appropriations to the Department
Con-ections of $3,050,400 beginning in fiscal year 2025-26 for telephone and video calls, and postage, that are no
longer paid by residents.
LR0569(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1