SUMMARY

This bill implements the recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to its review of the Telecommunications Relay Services Advisory Council under the State Government Evaluation Act.

This bill gives the Telecommunications Relay Services Advisory Council the authority to enter into contracts with telecommunications relay service providers for the purpose of providing telecommunications services to persons who are deaf, hearing impaired or speech impaired. Because of this new contracting authority, the advisory council is reallocated from its current status in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 12004-I as an advisory board with minimal authority to Title 5, section 12004-G, which lists general government boards with contracting authority. The bill also changes the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over the review of the advisory council under the State Government Evaluation Act from the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters and requires that the advisory council be reviewed by that committee in 2013.