AUGUSTA - The Legislative Council voted Thursday to send two bills sponsored by Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, to the Legislature for consideration. The bills, one concerning utility shutoffs at public safety facilities and the other concerning wage increases for intensive case managers, will be heard during the upcoming session in January.
The first bill, An Act To Prohibit a Regulated Utility from Disconnecting Service to a Designated Public Safety Facility without 60 Days' Advance Notice, would protect public safety facilities from being inadvertently disconnected due to billing and communication errors. This past summer, a technician from CMP attempted to disconnect power at the Buckfield Fire/Rescue facility for non-payment of their account bill, while a similar instance occurred in 2018 in the town of Newcastle.
"Increasingly, public safety facilities require electric, gas and water utility service for lifesaving equipment on ambulances and fire trucks," said Berry. "However, there have been multiple instances in recent years in which CMP nearly shut down public safety facilities in Maine due to billing system errors. This bill would work with our utilities to design a formal notification process that protects public safety by avoiding disconnections that may otherwise result in tragedy."
The second bill, An Act To Improve Intensive Behavioral Health and Public Safety Case Management Services by Providing a Pay Increase to Intensive Case Managers, would raise wages for employees who play a crucial public safety role, including monitoring adherence to court orders for "forensic patients," those found not criminally responsible for usually serious crimes such as murder, aggravated assault, arson, sex offenses and other harmful acts.
"Maine recently increased pay to child protective caseworkers, but did not do so for intensive case managers," said Berry. "Like child protective staff, intensive case managers perform a critically important function. It is past time to make them whole by providing them with the pay increase they deserve."
Berry represents House District 55 which includes Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Swan Island and most of Richmond. He previously served from 2006-2014, the final two years as House majority leader, and returned to the House in 2016.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [Berry], c. 812-1111