Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §7508 is enacted to read:

§7508.__Public-interest pay phones

1. Public-interest pay phone locations. In order to ensure access to pay phone in a manner that fulfills the requirements of the public health, safety and welfare, the commission shall identify by rule locations for public-interest pay phones in accordance with this section.

A.__A public-interest pay phone location may be designated where other forms of landline or wireless service are not available or are unaffordable or where access by the general public is of special importance.

B.__A public-interest pay phone location may be designated in security settings, such as correctional facilities, where landline or wireless service is not practical or authorized.

C.__A public-interest pay phone location may be designated upon petition by citizens pursuant to procedures identified by commission rule.

D.__A public-interest pay phone may not be removed from service unless its owner provides written notice to the commission 30 days prior to removal.

2. Recovery of costs; account. Any incremental costs associated with installing or maintaining a public-interest pay phone pursuant to this section and 47 United States Code Section 276(b)(2) must be recovered from owners of public or semipublic pay phones in the State by means of an annual assessment on those owners levied by the commission.__Each owner of a public or semipublic pay phone in this State must be billed an annual charge for each pay phone location sufficient to fund for one year the number of public-interest pay phones authorized under this section by the commission.__All funds received by the commission from owners of public and semipublic pay phones must be deposited in a public-interest pay phone account established within the commission.

3. Rules. The commission shall adopt rules that are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A to implement this section.

SUMMARY

Due to the prevalence of wireless telephone technology, public pay phones in Maine have become less numerous in recent years, which has led to a loss of access to E-9-1-1 emergency