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An Act To Waive Public Utilities Commission Approval of Special Contracts When the Contracts Apply to Detariffed Rates or Terms
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §703, sub-§3-A,  as enacted by PL 1995, c. 254, §3, is amended to read:
 
3-A. Special contracts.   It is lawful for a public utility to make a contract for a definite term subject to the commission's approval for its product or service, but the published rates may not be changed during the term of the contract without the commission's consent. Notwithstanding this subsection, if the commission grants to a telephone utility or a group of telephone utilities an exemption pursuant to section 307-A from filing rate schedules or terms and conditions, that telephone utility or group of telephone utilities is exempt from the approval and consent requirements of this subsection to the same extent as the exemption granted pursuant to section 307-A.
 
SUMMARY
This bill states that when the Public Utilities Commission has exercised its authority under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 307-A to exempt a telephone utility or a group of telephone utilities from the filing of rate schedules and other requirements under Title 35-A, chapter 3, the telephone utility or group of telephone utilities will also be exempt from the approval requirement under Title 35-A, section 703, subsection 3-A for special rate contracts.