CHAPTER 141

H.P. 470 - L.D. 637

Resolve, To Address the Telecommunications Needs of

Federally Qualified Health Centers

Sec. 1. Needs assessment; application for federal funds. Resolved: That the Public Utilities Commission shall allocate $75,000 from the state universal service fund, established pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 7104, to hire an independent consultant to conduct a needs assessment regarding the telecommunications needs of federally qualified health centers, as defined in 42 United States Code, Section 1395x, subsection (aa)(4), and to assist federally qualified health centers in applying for funding from the federal Universal Service Fund under the Federal Communication Commission's Rural Health Care program. The commission may require contributions to the state universal service fund in an amount necessary to collect the $75,000 to carry out the requirements of this section; and be it further

Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That the Public Utilities Commission shall, no later than March 1, 2007, report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over telecommunications matters the results of the needs assessment and applications for federal funds under section 1 and any recommendations for further action to address the telecommunications needs of federally qualified health centers. The report must include any necessary legislation to implement the recommendations of the commission; and be it further