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An Act To Clarify the Financial Authority of Sewer and Sanitary Districts
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §1033, sub-§1, ¶¶G and H, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 555, §6, are amended to read:
 
G. Section 1048, subsection 1, paragraph B and subsection 5; and
 
H. Section 1051.1050; and
Sec. 2.  38 MRSA §1033, sub-§1, ¶I  is enacted to read:
 
I.  Section 1051.
Sec. 3. 38 MRSA §1033, sub-§2, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 555, §6, is repealed.
Sec. 4. 38 MRSA §1050, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 555, §6, is amended to read:
 
3. Collection.   The treasurer of the qualified sewer district mayhas full and complete authority and power to collect rates and all rates must be committed to the treasurerfees established under section 1048 or otherwise authorized by law. The treasurer may, after demand for payment, sue in the name of the qualified sewer district in a civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction for any rates remaining unpaid. In addition to other methods established by law for the collection of rates and without waiver of the right to sue for the collection of rates, the lien created under subsection 2 may be enforced in the following manner.
 
A. When rates have been committed to the treasurer of the qualified sewer district for collection, theThe treasurer may, after the expiration of 3 months and within one year after the date when the rates became due and payable, give to the owner of the real estate served, leave at the owner's last and usual place of abode or send by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner's last known address a notice in writing signed by the treasurer or bearing the treasurer's facsimile signature, stating the amount of the rates due, describing the real estate upon which the lien is claimed and stating that a lien is claimed on the real estate to secure the payment of the rates and demanding the payment of the rates within 30 days after service or mailing, with $1 added to the demanded rate for the treasurer and an additional fee to cover mailing the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested. The notice must contain a statement that the qualified sewer district is willing to arrange installment payments of the outstanding debt.
 
B. After the expiration of 30 days and within one year after giving notice pursuant to paragraph A, the treasurer of the qualified sewer district shall record in the registry of deeds of the county in which the property of the person is located a certificate signed by the treasurer setting forth the amount of the rates due, describing the real estate on which the lien is claimed and stating that a lien is claimed on the real estate to secure payment of the rates and that a notice and demand for payment has been given or made in accordance with this section and stating further that the rates remain unpaid. At the time of the recording of the certificate in the registry of deeds, the treasurer shall file in the office of the qualified sewer district a true copy of the certificate and shall mail a true copy of the certificate by certified mail, return receipt requested, to each record holder of any mortgage on the real estate, addressed to the record holder at the record holder's last and usual place of abode.
 
C. The filing of the certificate in the registry of deeds creates a mortgage held by the qualified sewer district on the real estate described in the certificate that has priority over all other mortgages, liens, attachments and encumbrances of any nature, except liens, attachments and claims for taxes, and gives to the qualified sewer district all the rights usually possessed by mortgagees, except that the qualified sewer district as mortgagee does not have any right to possession of that real estate until the right of redemption has expired.
 
D. If the mortgage created under paragraph C, together with interest and costs, has not been paid within 18 months after the date of filing the certificate in the registry of deeds in accordance with paragraph B, the mortgage is foreclosed and the right of redemption expires. The filing of the certificate in the registry of deeds is sufficient notice of the existence of the mortgage. In the event that the rate, with interest and costs, is paid within the period of redemption, the treasurer of the qualified sewer district shall discharge the mortgage in the same manner as provided for discharge of real estate mortgages.
 
E. The owner of the real estate shall pay the sum of the fees for receiving, recording and indexing the lien, or its discharge, as established by Title 33, section 751, plus $13, plus all certified mail, return receipt requested, fees.
 
F. Not more than 45 days or less than 30 days before the foreclosing date of the mortgage created under paragraph C, the treasurer of the qualified sewer district shall notify the party named on the mortgage and each record holder of a mortgage on the real estate in a writing signed by the treasurer or bearing the treasurer's facsimile signature and left at the holder's last and usual place of abode or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the holder's last known address of the impending automatic foreclosure and indicating the exact date of foreclosure. For sending this notice, the qualified sewer district is entitled to receive $3 plus all certified mail, return receipt requested, fees, which must be added to and become a part of the amount due under paragraph E. If notice is not given in the time period specified in this paragraph, the person not receiving timely notice has up to 30 days after the treasurer provides notice as specified in this paragraph in which to redeem the mortgage. The notice of impending automatic foreclosure must be substantially in the following form:
 
G. The qualified sewer district shall pay the treasurer $1 for the notice, $1 for filing the lien certificate and the amount paid for certified mail, return receipt requested, fees. The fees for recording the lien certificate must be paid by the qualified sewer district to the register of deeds.
 
H. A discharge of the certificate given after the right of redemption has expired, which discharge has been recorded in the registry of deeds for more than one year, terminates all title of the qualified sewer district derived from that certificate or any other recorded certificate for which the right of redemption expired 10 years or more prior to the foreclosure date of this discharge lien, unless the qualified sewer district has conveyed any interest based upon the title acquired from any of the affected liens.
Sec. 5. 38 MRSA §1055, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 555, §6, is amended to read:
§ 1055.Investments
A sewer district may invest its funds, including sinking funds, reserve funds and trust funds, to the same extent that the term of any instrument creating the funds does not prohibit the investment, in shares of an investment company registered under the federal Investment Company Act of 1940, whose shares are registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, only if the investments of the investment company are limited to obligations of the United States or any agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States or repurchase agreements secured by obligations of the United States or any agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United Statesas municipalities are authorized under Title 30-A, chapter 223, subchapter 3-A. This section is in addition to, and not in limitation of, any power of a sewer district to invest its funds.
Sec. 6. 38 MRSA §1164, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 651, §7, is amended to read:
§ 1164.Investments
A sanitary district may invest its funds, including sinking funds, reserve funds and trust funds, to the same extent that the terms of any instrument creating the funds do not prohibit the investment, in shares of an investment company registered under the federal Investment Company Act of 1940, whose shares are registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, only if the investments of the investment company are limited to obligations of the United States or any agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States or repurchase agreements secured by obligations of the United States or any agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United Statesas municipalities are authorized under Title 30-A, chapter 223, subchapter 3-A. This section is in addition to, and not in limitation of, any power of a sanitary district to invest its funds.
 
SUMMARY
This bill clarifies the authority of sewer districts and sanitary districts to administer financial resources. It allows sewer districts and sanitary districts to invest their funds in the same way as municipalities. It clarifies that sewer districts have full authority to collect rates and fees.