| | Sec. 5. Staggered terms. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, | Title 35-A, section 9203, subsection 2, for the initial | appointments to the ConnectME Authority, the Governor shall | appoint one member for a one-year term, one member for a 2-year | term and one member for a 3-year term. |
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| | Sec. 6. Temporary transfer of funds authorized. For purposes of funding | activities of the ConnectME Authority under the Maine Revised | Statutes, Title 35-A, chapter 93, the Public Utilities Commission | may, upon request of the authority, transfer to the ConnectME | Fund, established pursuant to Title 35-A, section 9211, up to | $500,000 of previously collected but unallocated funds held by | the commission in the universal service fund pursuant to Title | 35-A, section 7104. The authority may not request and the | commission may not undertake any transfer of funds to the | ConnectME Fund under this section until the authority receives | authorization pursuant to Title 5, section 8072 to finally adopt | major substantive rules under Title 35-A, section 9205, | subsection 3 or until after January 15, 2007, whichever is later. | Once the authority has collected $500,000 in the ConnectME Fund | through assessments collected pursuant to Title 35-A, section | 9211, the authority shall transfer to the universal service fund | an amount equal to the amount transferred from the universal | service fund to the authority under this section. Upon receipt | of the transfer into the universal service fund, the commission | shall ensure the return of the funds to ratepayers by amending | the quarterly assessments made pursuant to Title 35-A, section | 7104. |
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| | Sec. 7. Submission of plan; authority to report out legislation. No later than | January 31, 2008, the ConnectMe Authority, established under the | Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 9203, shall submit to | the joint standing committee of the Legislature having | jurisdiction over utilities matters a plan, together with | necessary implementing legislation, providing for the winding up | of the authority's affairs, the disposition of assets and other | matters pertaining to the affairs of the authority. The joint | standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over | utilities matters shall report out legislation to the Second | Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature providing for the | winding up of the authority's affairs or the repeal of Title 35- | A, section 9215. |
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