Whereas, the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 9104 contains provisions that might be read as a restriction that allowed the Public Utilities Commission to establish an alternative form of regulation only during a time period in 1995 and 1996 and that are otherwise obsolete; and

Whereas, the Public Utilities Commission and at least one telephone utility are engaged in discussions that may lead to the establishment of an alternative form of regulation for that company; and

Whereas, if such discussions are fruitful, an alternative form of regulation would be established prior to June of 2003; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

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

Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §9104, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 638, §2, is repealed.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill repeals a section of law that states that, if the Public Utilities Commission concludes a proceeding establishing an "alternative form of regulation" for a telephone utility before certain dates in 1995 and 1996, the alternative form of regulation would become effective following the legislative sessions of those years, thereby allowing an alternative form of regulation for telephone utilities for which the commission has not yet established an alternative form of regulation.