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Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the emergency clause and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 33 MRSA §751, sub-§14, as amended by PL 2009, c. 575, §2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
 
14.  Abstracts and copies.     Making abstracts and copies from the records. For paper copies of abstracts and copies made at the office of the register of deeds, the register shall charge a fee of $1 per page and for digital copies of abstracts and copies, a register shall charge a fee of 50¢ per page. The fees charged pursuant to this subsection apply to all requests for copies, including requests for bulk transfers of copies; and
Sec. 2. Legislative intent; retroactivity. The Legislature finds that the following fees charged by an office of a register of deeds for making abstracts and copies from records, whether in paper or digital form, including for bulk copies or transfers of such copies, between September 1, 2009 and the effective date of this Act are reasonable and in accordance with the legislative intent of Public Law 2009, chapter 575, section 2 and are expressly authorized: a fee of up to $1.50 per page for paper copies and a fee of up to $1.50 per page for digital copies. Nothing in this section may be interpreted as a legislative finding that a higher fee charged by an office of a register of deeds between September 1, 2009 and the effective date of this Act to persons who were not subscribers to the online services of a register of deeds is unreasonable. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 1, section 302, this section applies retroactively to September 1, 2009.’
 
SUMMARY
The bill requires county commissioners to consider the revenue needs of the county in setting reasonable fees for making abstracts and copies from records. This amendment replaces that provision with a set charge of $1 for paper copies and 50¢ for digital copies. These per page fees apply to all copies, including requests for bulk transfers of copies. The amendment specifies that the legislative intent is that fees that have been authorized by the counties in the past are considered reasonable. The amendment retains the retroactive application to September 1, 2009 but removes reference to pending litigation.