An Act To Improve Cell Phone Service in Underserved Areas by Installing Wireless Base Stations at State-owned Facilities
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §7509 is enacted to read:
§ 7509. Wireless technology at state-owned facilities
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Cellular telephone service" means any mobile telecommunications service as defined in section 102, subsection 9-A.
B. "Underserved area" has the same meaning as "unserved or underserved area" in section 9202, subsection 5.
C. "Wireless base station" means a cellular communications device and related antenna that is connected to broadband service to provide improved cellular telephone service.
2. Wireless base stations required at state-owned facilities. The Department of Administrative and Financial Services shall develop a plan in consultation with the ConnectME Authority established in Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 33-F to install wireless base stations at state-owned facilities to improve cellular telephone service in underserved areas of the State. The department shall direct the relevant state agencies to install and maintain wireless base stations at the facilities identified in the plan.
summary
This bill requires the Department of Administrative and Financial Services to develop a plan in consultation with the ConnectME Authority to install wireless base stations at state-owned facilities to improve cellular telephone service in underserved areas of the State. It requires the department to direct the relevant state agencies to install and maintain wireless base stations as identified in the plan.