Resolve, To Direct the Public Utilities Commission and the Public Advocate To Account for Certain Resource Expenditures

Sec. 1. Accounting by Public Utilities Commission and Public Advocate of allocation of certain resources. Resolved: That the Public Utilities Commission and the Public Advocate shall, beginning no later than July 1, 2010, separately account for and track resources devoted to matters related to providers of communications services that are not subject to assessments pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35A, section 116. The Public Utilities Commission and the Public Advocate shall establish reasonable and practical categories of such providers and shall account for resources devoted to each identified category. To the extent practical, the Public Utilities Commission and the Public Advocate shall identify in the accounting each individual provider to which resources were devoted, the type of proceeding or action to which the resources were devoted and the role of the provider in that proceeding or action. For purposes of this resolve, "providers of communications services" includes, but is not limited to, a wireline voice, satellite, data, fixed wireless data or video retail service provider; a facilities-based provider of wireless voice or data retail service; or any other provider of communications services; and be it further

Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That the Public Utilities Commission and the Public Advocate shall report their accounting under section 1 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters by January 15, 2012 together with any recommendations regarding the practicality of subjecting any providers of communications services to assessments pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35A, section 116.