| | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | | Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §7104-A, as amended by PL 1997, c. 169, §1, is | | repealed. |
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| | | Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §7104-B is enacted to read: |
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| | | §7104-B.__Access to information services |
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| | | 1.__Definitions.__As used in this section, unless the context | | otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following | | meanings. |
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| | | A.__"Qualified library" means a public library as defined in | | Title 27, section 110, subsection 10; a research center as | | defined in Title 27, section 110, subsection 12; or a | | library that provides free public access to all advanced | | telecommunications services available at that library and | | whose collection serves as a statewide resource, if the | | commission determines, in consultation with the Maine | | Library Commission, that including that library as a | | qualified library is in the public interest. |
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| | | B.__"Qualified school" means a public school as defined in | | Title 20-A, section 1, subsection 24; a private secondary | | school approved under Title 20-A, section 2901 or 2951; or a | | school that provides free public access to all advanced | | telecommunications services available at that school, if the | | commission determines, in consultation with the Department | | of Education, that including that school as a qualified | | school is in the public interest. |
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| | | C.__"Telecommunications carrier" and__"telecommunications | | service" have the same meanings as set forth in 47 United | | States Code, Section 153 (1996). |
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| | | 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 to | | contribute to the fund.__The fund must be available, with any | | accumulated interest, to qualified libraries and qualified | | schools to assist in paying the costs of acquiring and using | | advanced telecommunications technologies. |
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| | | 3.__Limitations.__In carrying out the authority granted by | | subsection 2, the commission shall: |
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