The Maine State Legislature on Monday overrode the governor’s veto of LD 1729 that lets the Public Utilities Commission put part of an audit’s cost on shareholders of investor-owned utilities, if the audit found “imprudence” by the utility.

The bill became law after the Legislature unanimously voted to override the veto. Gov. Paul LePage had stated in his veto message, the bill singled out Central Maine Power.  CMP had record numbers of customer complaints after installing its new billing system in October. The PUC has received over 97,000 complaints from customers, alleging overbilling.

Additional jail funding was also restored after being vetoed. According to members of the Two Bridges Jail Authority, the override, which will give another $8 million to county jails statewide, will let Penobscot County negotiate to house inmates at Two Bridges. The added funding is needs-based. Penobscot County will qualify, Lincoln County Administrator Carrie Kipfer said. 

Two Bridges had run a deficit budget, in part because Penobscot County could not commit to a contract until the funding issue was resolved.