This bill does the following.
1. It clarifies the funding sources for activities undertaken by the interconnection ombudsman to be consistent with Public Law 2023, chapter 643, Part WWW, section 1.
2. It updates the Public Utilities Commission's annual reporting requirements to include a cross-reference to specific reporting requirements related to beneficial
43 electrification for clarity. It also removes the requirement that the commission include in
44 its annual report on low-income assistance programs an assessment of the effectiveness of
45 the oxygen pump benefit and the ventilator benefit with respect to covering only those
46 electric charges directly related to use of an oxygen pump or ventilator by the program
47 participants.
3. It clarifies that a consumer-owned water utility is not subject to the requirements related to the issuance of stocks, bonds and notes, even if the utility's charter established in law requires authorization by the Public Utilities Commission.
4. It amends penalty provisions relating to violations committed by natural gas pipeline utilities and gas utilities to align with federal regulations.
5. It amends the maximum rate adjustment that a consumer-owned water utility may propose from 1.5% of current total annual revenue to 1.5% of current rates.
6. It aligns the entities required to contribute to the commission's telecommunications education access fund with the entities required to contribute to the Maine Universal Service Fund.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 110: 35-A.107, 35-A.901, 35-A.3214, 35-A.4516, 35-A.4705, 35-A.6104, 35-A.7104