CHAPTER 522
H.P. 1102 - L.D. 1471
An Act to Create a Digital Library to Meet the Educational, Research, Business and Economic Needs of Maine
Emergency preamble. Whereas, Acts of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, creating a digital library will provide access to needed information for all of the State's organizations and individuals; and
Whereas, having one central agency responsible for establishing and implementing a digital library would allow for cost efficiencies; 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 §7104-B, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 409, §2, is amended to read:
2. Authority. Pursuant to the authority granted in section 7104 and in order to carry out the policy goals established by section 7101, subsections 1, 2 and 4, the commission shall establish a telecommunications education access fund, referred to in this section as the "fund," and require all telecommunications carriers offering telecommunications services in the State and any other entities identified by the commission pursuant to subsection 8 to contribute to the fund. The fund must be available, with any accumulated interest, to qualified libraries and, qualified schools and the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine to assist in paying the costs of acquiring and using advanced telecommunications technologies.
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §7104-B, sub-§§4, 5 and 7, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 409, §2, are amended to read:
4. Use of fund. The fund must be used to provide discounts to qualified libraries and, qualified schools and the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine for the following:
A. Telecommunications services;
B. Internet access;
C. Internal connections;
D. Computers; and
E. Training.; and
F. Content.
5. Guidelines for funding. The commission shall allocate money from the fund using the following guidelines:
A. To ensure a basic level of connectivity for all of the qualified schools and qualified libraries in the State;
B. To ensure that all qualified schools and, qualified libraries and the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine are capable of using the advanced technology equipment obtained through the fund;
C. To ensure that more technologically sophisticated equipment is available to students in grades 9 to 12 and in larger qualified libraries in the State;
D. To provide for necessary equipment to use the services obtained through the fund;
E. To provide for internal connections necessary to use the services obtained through the fund;
F. To provide training to teachers so that they may assist and educate their students in the use of the advanced technology equipment; and
G. To provide for the establishment of computer technology training programs in schools to provide training to students in areas such as, but not limited to, electronic commerce, Internet proficiency and World Wide Web-enabled systems.; and
H. To provide for electronic database content to be used for the purposes of accessing information by schools and libraries.
A minimum of 25% of each annual program budget must be devoted to targeted projects that are innovative and technologically advanced.
7. Coordination with existing facilities. Any existing facilities developed to provide services to qualified schools and, qualified libraries and the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine, as directed by the commission under this section, must continue to provide services to qualified schools and, qualified libraries and the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine at rates that reflect the incremental costs to use those facilities.
Sec. 3. Cooperation. The Maine State Library and the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine shall work cooperatively to provide access technology as well as licensing agreements to acquire publicly available databases.
Sec. 4. Transfer. Upon application from the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System to the Public Utilities Commission, the commission shall order the National Exchange Carrier Association to transfer $500,000 from the unexpended balance of the telecommunications education access fund no later than June 30, 2002 and $500,000 no later than June 30, 2003 to the University of Maine System which must use the funds to provide for the infrastructure needs to create a digital library that is accessible statewide.
Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM, BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
Educational and General Activities - University of Maine System
New Initiative: Provides funds to create a digital library to meet the educational, research, business and economic needs of Maine. The funds will provide for information resources in digital form, such as books, scholarly journals, publicly accessible Internet sites, databases, electronic archives and other information sources. The Maine State Library and the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine will cooperatively provide access technology as well as licensing agreements to acquire publicly available databases.
Other Special Revenue Funds 2001-02 2002-03
All Other $500,000 $500,000
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.
Effective March 12, 2002.
| Revisor of Statutes Homepage | Subject Index | Search | 120th Laws of Maine | Maine Legislature |
