---
type: "Bill"
title: "An Act To Encourage The Development Of Broadband Coverage In Rural Maine"
description: "An Act To Encourage The Development Of Broadband Coverage In Rural Maine"
jurisdiction: "us/states/me"
legislature: "Maine Legislature"
session: "129"
identifier: "LD 1563"
citation: "Maine LD 1563 (129)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["TELECOMMUNICATIONS", "BROADBAND SERVICES", "EXPANSION TO RURAL AREAS"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Shenna BELLOWS"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 33
vote_count: 0
first_action: "2019-04-16"
last_action: "2020-03-18"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/32485199-ad40-4880-a9aa-b6cacd095b6f"
source_url: "http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/dockets.asp?ID=280073368"
source_hash: "1237bd7f0794f858c2d4be048487e6c3bb91615f6079254723acd3ba1df19117"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-me"]
---

# Maine LD 1563 (129) — An Act To Encourage The Development Of Broadband Coverage In Rural Maine

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Adopted Amendments** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0498&item=2&snum=129)
2. **Chaptered Law** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0498&item=5&snum=129)
3. **Documents and Disposition** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0498&item=1&snum=129)
4. **Final Disposition** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0498&item=4&snum=129)

## Sponsors

- Shenna BELLOWS — primary (person)
- Christina RILEY — cosponsor (person)
- Christopher CAIAZZO — cosponsor (person)
- Christopher KESSLER — cosponsor (person)
- David MIRAMANT — cosponsor (person)
- Deane RYKERSON — cosponsor (person)
- Mark LAWRENCE — cosponsor (person)
- Nicole GROHOSKI — cosponsor (person)
- Seth BERRY — cosponsor (person)
- Victoria DOUDERA — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2019-04-16** Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence
- **2019-04-16** The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY. `referral-committee`
- **2019-04-16** In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2019-06-20** Carried over to any special or regular session, or both, of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order HP 1322.
- **2019-06-20** CARRIED OVER to any Special or Regular Sessions, or both, of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order HP 1322.
- **2020-02-27** Report READ and ACCEPTED
- **2020-02-27** READ ONCE `reading-1`
- **2020-02-27** Committee Amendment "A" (S-405) READ and ADOPTED
- **2020-02-27** ASSIGNED FOR SECOND READING NEXT LEGISLATIVE DAY.
- **2020-03-03** COMMITTEE ON BILLS IN THE SECOND READING REPORTS NO FURTHER VERBAL AMENDMENTS NECESSARY. REPORT ACCEPTED.
- **2020-03-03** READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-405) `reading-2`
- **2020-03-03** Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence.
- **2020-03-05** CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAY
- **2020-03-05** Under suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.
- **2020-03-05** The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-405).
- **2020-03-05** In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2020-03-10** PASSED TO BE ENACTED. `passage`
- **2020-03-10** Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2020-03-12** On motion by Senator LIBBY of Androscoggin Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending PASSAGE TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.
- **2020-03-17** Taken from the table by the President
- **2020-03-17** Subsequently the Rules were suspended for the purpose of RECONSIDERATION
- **2020-03-17** On motion by Senator BELLOWS of Kennebec Under suspension of the Rules The Senate RECONSIDERED whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-405)
- **2020-03-17** On further motion by Same Senator Under further suspension of the Rules The Senate RECONSIDERED whereby Committee Amendment "A" (S-405) was ADOPTED
- **2020-03-17** On further motion by Same Senator Senate Amendment "A" (S-443) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-405) READ and ADOPTED
- **2020-03-17** Committee Amendment "A" (S-405) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-443) thereto ADOPTED
- **2020-03-17** PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-405) AS AMENDED BY Senate Amendment "A" (S-443) thereto In NON-CONCURRENCE
- **2020-03-17** Sent down for concurrence
- **2020-03-17** The House RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-405) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-443) thereto.
- **2020-03-17** ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2020-03-17** PASSED TO BE ENACTED. `passage`
- **2020-03-17** Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2020-03-17** PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. `passage`
- **2020-03-18** Signed by Governor `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/32485199-ad40-4880-a9aa-b6cacd095b6f`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Maine legislature records).