An Act to Prohibit Ownership of 6 Percent or More or Control of a
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1160
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: CARLOW, BENNETT
Amends: 35-A MRSA §708, 35-A MRSA §720

Legislative Document
No. 1160
H.P. 765
House of Representatives, March 20, 2025
An Act to Prohibit Ownership of 6 Percent or More or Control of a 
Public Utility by an Entity Providing Aid to a Foreign Terrorist 
Organization
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative CARLOW of Buxton.
Cosponsored by Senator BENNETT of Oxford.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, current law does not prohibit the ownership or control of the State's critical 
public utility service providers by entities providing aid to foreign terrorist organizations; 
and
Whereas, an entity influenced by those who provide aid to foreign terrorist 
organizations is too dangerous to operate in the State; and
Whereas, immediate action is necessary to ensure the safety and reliability of utility 
services relied upon by all residents of the State; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §708, sub-§2, ¶A-1 is enacted to read:
A-1.  The commission may not approve a reorganization pursuant to this section if the 
reorganization would result in the ownership of 6% or more or control of a public utility 
or the parent company of a public utility by an entity that the commission finds has 
provided material aid or comfort to an organization that is designated by the United 
States Secretary of State as a foreign terrorist organization in accordance with the 
United States Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 219.
Sec. 2.  35-A MRSA §720 is enacted to read:
§720.  Public utility ownership of 6% or more or control by entity supporting foreign 
terrorist organization prohibited
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, an entity that the commission 
finds has provided material aid or comfort to an organization that is designated by the 
United States Secretary of State as a foreign terrorist organization in accordance with the 
United States Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 219 may not own 6% or more and 
may not control a public utility or the parent company of a public utility. If the commission 
finds, after investigation and an adjudicatory proceeding, that a public utility is in violation 
of this section, the commission shall order divestiture of or by the public utility.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits the ownership of 6% or more or control of a public utility or the 
parent company of a public utility by an entity that the Public Utilities Commission finds 
to have provided material aid or comfort to an organization that is designated by the United 
States Secretary of State as a foreign terrorist organization. If the commission finds, after 
conducting an investigation and an adjudicatory proceeding, that a public utility is in 
violation of the law, the commission must order divestiture of or by the public utility.