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Amend the bill by inserting after the enacting clause and before section 1 the following:
‘Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §2102, sub-§1, ¶A  is enacted to read:
 
A. The commission may not grant approval to a telephone utility under this subsection unless the telephone utility submits evidence satisfactory to the commission that the telephone utility has at least $250,000 in fixed assets in this State or the telephone utility purchases and maintains a surety bond satisfactory to the commission in the amount of $250,000 to ensure the telephone utility has the financial ability to meet its obligations under this Title. This paragraph does not apply to a telephone utility authorized to provide telephone service in this State on the effective date of this paragraph.’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
Under current law, a telephone utility may not furnish service in any municipality in which another telephone utility is furnishing services without the approval of the Public Utilities Commission.
This amendment adds a provision to the bill to provide that the commission may not grant such approval to a telephone utility not currently authorized to provide service in this State unless the telephone utility provides satisfactory evidence that the telephone utility has at least $250,000 in fixed assets in this State or the telephone utility purchases and maintains a surety bond in the amount of $250,000 to ensure it has the financial ability to meet its obligations under the utility laws.