CHAPTER 432

S.P. 36 - L.D. 94

An Act To Allow Administrative Penalties Imposed by the

Public Utilities Commission To Be Applied To Benefit

Customers

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §117, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2003, c. 505, §13, is further amended to read:

3. Administrative penalties. All Except as provided in this subsection, all administrative penalties collected by the commission must be deposited into the Public Utilities Commission Reimbursement Fund. Administrative penalties not needed to reimburse the commission for additional expenses associated with the enforcement activities that resulted in the collection of the penalty must be transferred to the General Fund of the State Treasury.

A.__The commission may use amounts collected as administrative penalties and deposited in the Public Utilities Commission Reimbursement Fund to reimburse the commission for additional expenses associated with the enforcement activities that resulted in the collection of the penalty.

B.__After deducting any amount used pursuant to paragraph A, the commission may, to the extent practicable and in as equitable and fair a manner as possible, apply administrative penalties, along with any accrued interest, in accordance with this paragraph.__ The commission shall