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An Act To Create Efficiency in E-9-1-1 Call Centers
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2923-A, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 622, §2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§ 2923-A. Public safety answering point service
 
1.  Municipal authority.     A municipality may:
 
A.  Operate a public safety answering point approved by the bureau pursuant to section 2926, subsection 2-A;
 
B.  Enter into an agreement with another entity for public safety answering point service; or
 
C.  Arrange for public safety answering point service through an agreement with another government entity that enters into a contract for public safety answering point service on behalf of the municipality.
 
2.  Department default provider.     If a municipality does not arrange for public safety answering point service pursuant to subsection 1, the department shall serve as the provider of public safety answering point service to the municipality. The municipality shall pay the department for the provision of that service.
 
3.  Term limit.     An agreement under this section to provide public safety answering point service may not have a term that is less than 5 years.
 
4.  Deposit fees.     Fees received by the department pursuant to this section must be deposited in the Consolidated Emergency Communications Fund established in section 1534.
Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 566, §9, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2, ¶I, as amended by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, §3, is further amended to read:
 
I.  Procedures for collecting and administering the necessary funds for E-9-1-1; and
Sec. 4. 25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2, ¶J, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, §4, is amended to read:
 
J.  Standards and procedures for developing and maintaining the system databases and for ensuring the confidentiality of those databases pursuant to section 2929.; and
Sec. 5.  25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2, ¶K  is enacted to read:
 
K.  Procedures to route a wireless E-9-1-1 call:
 
(1) To the department's public safety answering point service if the call is initiated one mile from or within one mile of the Interstate 95 corridor or the Interstate 295 corridor; and
 
(2) To a public safety answering point serving the municipality in which the tower receiving the call is located if the call is initiated more than one mile from the Interstate 95 corridor or the Interstate 295 corridor unless the bureau determines it is necessary to route such calls to a different public safety answering point.
Sec. 6. 25 MRSA §2926, sub-§2-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 420, Pt. A, §28, is further amended to read:
 
2-A. Number of public safety answering points.  To the extent possible, theThe bureau shall establish a total of between 16 and 24approve a total of 15 to 17 public safety answering points. The bureau shall seek to coordinate any reduction in the number of public safety answering points to achieve this goal with any contractual obligations it may have or may enter into that are or could be affected by that reduction. Prior to implementing a reduction in the number of public safety answering points, the bureau shall 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.
Sec. 7. Transition. The following provisions govern the reduction of public safety answering points from 26 to a total of 15 to 17 pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 25, section 2926, subsection 2-A.
1. The Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau shall reduce the number of public safety answering points in conjunction with the implementation of its contract or contracts for E-9-1-1 services to be executed in 2012.
2. The bureau shall establish public safety answering points in the locations identified in its Public Safety Answering Point Reconfiguration Plan dated November 1, 2010.
3. By August 1, 2012, a municipality shall identify which of the 17 established public safety answering points will be providing public safety answering point service to that municipality.
4. Nothing in this section limits the bureau from reconfiguring, in accordance with applicable laws, the location of public safety answering points after establishing the 17 public safety answering points identified in its Public Safety Answering Point Reconfiguration Plan dated November 1, 2010.
 
SUMMARY
This bill changes the goal of the Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau to establish a total of 16 to 24 public safety answering points to a requirement that the bureau establish a total of 15 to 17 public safety answering points. It requires the bureau to design the E-9-1-1 system to route a wireless E-9-1-1 call initiated more than one mile from the Interstate 95 or 295 corridor to the public safety answering point serving the municipality in which the tower receiving the call is located unless the bureau determines the wireless calls should be routed to a different public safety answering point. It requires the bureau to design the E-9-1-1 system to route a wireless E-9-1-1 call initiated one mile or less from the Interstate 95 or 295 corridor to the Department of Public Safety. This bill clarifies that municipalities may arrange for public safety answering point service through an agreement with another government entity and prohibits a contract to provide public safety answering point service from having a term of less than 5 years.