1. ConnectMaine Fund established. The ConnectMaine Fund, referred to in this section as “the fund,” is established as a nonlapsing fund administered by the authority for the purposes of supporting the activities and projects of the authority under this chapter. The ConnectMaine Fund may also be referred to as “the ConnectME Fund.”

2. Assessment. After receiving authorization pursuant to Title 5, section 8072 to finally adopt major substantive rules under section 9205, subsection 3 or after January 15, 2007, whichever is later, the authority may require every communications service provider to contribute on a competitively neutral basis to the fund. The assessment may not exceed 0.25% of the revenue received or collected for all communications services provided in this State by the communications service provider. A facilities-based provider of wireless voice or data retail service may voluntarily agree to be assessed by the authority as a communications service provider under this subsection.

2-A. Surcharge; collection. In addition to the assessment imposed pursuant to subsection 2, a ConnectMaine surcharge of 10¢ per line or number, referred to in this subsection as “the surcharge,” is imposed as provided in this subsection.

3. Explicit identification of assessment and surcharge on customer bills. A communications service provider assessed pursuant to subsection 2 may recover the amount of the assessment from the provider’s customers. If a provider recovers the amount from its customers, it must explicitly identify the amount owed by a customer on the customer’s bill and indicate that the funds are collected for use in the ConnectMaine Fund. Beginning January 1, 2022, the ConnectMaine surcharge imposed pursuant to subsection 2?A must be shown separately from the assessment imposed pursuant to subsection 2 as a statewide broadband access fund surcharge on the customer’s bill.