127th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 465 LR 1181(02)
An Act To Eliminate the Broadband Sustainability Fee
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
Current biennium revenue decrease - Broadband Sustainability Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The bill eliminates the broadband sustainability fee and requires funds in the Broadband Sustainability Fund (BSF) within the ConnectME Authority (ConnectME) to be used to support and promote broadband service in unserved or underserved areas. ConnectME is a legally separate entity from the State and is a component unit of the State that is not funded using state funds. Under current law, 95% of the funds from this fee go to the BSF and 5% go to the ConnectME Fund. Eliminating the broadband sustainability fee will reduce revenue to the two funds at ConnectME by an estimated $350,000 in fiscal year 2015-16, $900,000 in fiscal year 2016-17 and $750,000 in fiscal year 2017-18. Under current law, this fee will end on December 31, 2017. There is currently $343,728 in the BSF, but ConnectME has indicated that the BSF will have a substantially smaller balance before this bill becomes law due to certain companies requesting disbursements from the BSF as allowed under current law. There is a Superior Court case pending concerning delinquent broadband sustainability fee payments owed to ConnectME. ConnectME estimates a $320,000 judgment if ConnectME prevails in the court case. This $320,000 would not be disbursed to certain companies if the case is resolved after the bill becomes law and that additional revenue could potentially be available to support and promote broadband service in unserved or underserved areas.