§ 35-A §7104-B — Access to information services

1.
Definitions.
As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
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 voice network service providers using numbers placed in service for the State's numbering plan area from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator or its successor to contribute to the fund. A voice network service provider is not required to contribute to the fund for telephone numbers that are acquired by the provider but are not placed in service. The fund must be available, with any accumulated interest, to qualified libraries, 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.
2-A.
Determination of amount of prepaid wireless telecommunications service fee.
The commission shall determine by rule the amount of the fee on prepaid wireless telecommunications service that is required to be contributed to the fund. The commission shall limit the fee to no more than 21¢ per retail transaction. The fee must be rounded to the nearest penny. The fee may not be adjusted by the commission more frequently than once every 24 months. The collection of the fee is governed by section 7104‑C. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
3.
Limitations; imposition.
In carrying out the authority granted by subsection 2, the commission shall:
4.
Use of fund.
The fund must be used to provide discounts to qualified libraries, qualified schools and the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine for the following:
4-A.
State Librarian; Commissioner of Education.
The State Librarian or the Commissioner of Education may enter into contracts or order services on behalf of qualified schools and qualified libraries in connection with the fund and may take advantage of any discounts available pursuant to the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.
5.
Guidelines for funding.
The commission shall allocate money from the fund using the following guidelines:
6.
Coordination with federal funds.
Except as provided in paragraph A, qualified schools and qualified libraries shall apply for any federal discounts available pursuant to the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. The level of discount, pursuant to subsection 4, is determined by the commission.
7.
Coordination with existing facilities.
Any existing facilities developed to provide services to qualified schools, 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, qualified libraries and the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine at rates that reflect the incremental costs to use those facilities.
8.
Review by commission.

Legislative History

PL 1999, c. 409, §2 (NEW). PL 2001, c. 522, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 673, §IIII1 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 251, §1 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 274, §18 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 54, §1 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 600, §6 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF). PL 2011, c. 623, Pt. B, §§18-24 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 244, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 422, §§5, 6 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 422, §12 (AFF). PL 2019, c. 52, §§1-4 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 625, §5 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 144, §§3, 4 (AMD). PL 2025, c. 110, §11 (AMD).