Amend the bill by inserting after section 1 and before section 2 the following:
‘Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 359, §3, is amended to read:
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 3 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 3. Report regarding public safety answering points and E-9-1-1 system. No later than February 1, 2010, the Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau shall prepare and submit to the Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy a report on:
1. The optimum configuration of public safety answering points in the State, taking into account:
A. Total E-9-1-1 system needs and costs, including, but not limited to, needs and costs related to system operations, maintenance, training, back-up system capacity and staffing levels, including answering position units or seats;
B. Forecasted total system costs, including direct and indirect costs, under the optimum configuration; and
C. Established formulas and models of optimum call-taker staffing for public safety answering points, including, but not limited to, the minimum call-taker, or call answerer, staffing model presented in the 1980 report "Design and Costing of 911 Systems - A Technical Manual - Final Report" commissioned by the United States Department of Justice;
2. The implementation and regulation of the optimum configuration of public safety answering points, including the regulation of changes to public safety answering point locations initiated by municipalities, taking into consideration the cost implications for municipalities and the State; and
3. The benefits and consequences of expanding the statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge to fund all E-9-1-1 system costs, including operation and maintenance expenses that are currently funded through county assessments and fees from the political subdivisions, and the projected increase in the E-9-1-1 surcharge required to fund all system costs.
After receipt and review of the report required under this section, the Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy may submit legislation relating to the report to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature.
Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Emergency Services Communication Bureau 0994
Initiative: Provides funds for a study on the optimum configuration of public safety answering points.
| OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS |
2009-10 |
2010-11 |
|
All Other
|
$300,000 |
$0 |
|
 |
|
| OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL |
$300,000 |
$0 |
’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
summary
This amendment makes the following changes to the bill.
1. It adds a provision to require the Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau, prior to implementing a reduction in the number of public safety answering points, to make a finding regarding the need for the reduction based on an evaluation of the costs and benefits of the reduction, taking into account impacts on ratepayers, each of the affected municipalities and the State.
2. It amends the provision of the bill that requires the bureau to prepare and submit a report regarding public safety answering points and the E-9-1-1 system. It clarifies the issues to be taken into account when reporting on the optimum configuration of public safety answering points. It adds to the report an assessment of how to implement and regulate the optimum configuration, including the regulation of changes to public safety answering point locations initiated by municipalities, taking into consideration the cost implications for municipalities and the State.
3. It adds an appropriations and allocations section to the bill.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)