Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

Office Of Consumer Affairs And Business Regulation.

7006-0000

For the office of the director of consumer affairs and business regulation, including expenses of an administrative services unit; provided, that said director shall submit to the house and senate committees on ways and means documentation detailing the purpose, current fiscal year cost and annualization costs for supplemental budget requests for said office of the director or any office or agency under its administration within five days of the filing of any such supplemental request by the governor

...............................................................$1,541,587

Division of Banks.

7006-0010

For the operation of the division of banks

...............................................................$9,314,043

Division of Insurance.

7006-0020

For the operation and administration of the division, including expenses of the board of appeal on motor vehicle policies and bonds, and certain other costs of supervising motor vehicle liability insurance and the expenses of the fraudulent claims board; provided, that the positions of counsel I and counsel II shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter 31 of the General Laws; provided further, that contracts or orders for the purchase of statement blanks for the making of annual reports to the commissioner of insurance shall not be subject to the restrictions prescribed by section 1 of chapter 5 of the General Laws; provided further, that said division shall maintain a phone system in its western Massachusetts office to immediately transfer calls made to said office to the consumer assistance office in the city of Boston during any business hours when the western Massachusetts office is closed; provided further, that the division shall have an employee or other such person answering all initial incoming telephone calls, excluding all direct in-dial calls, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; and provided further, that the division shall designate an employee to handle all incoming calls relative to chapter 218 of the acts of 1995 or regulations promulgated under said chapter 218

...............................................................$5,254,622

General Fund............................................................. 60.0%

Highway Fund............................................................. 40.0%

7006-0030

For the additional costs associated with administration of the division; provided, that the commissioner of insurance shall expend funds from this item for the purpose of maintaining accreditation by the national association of insurance commissioners

...............................................................$3,710,371

Division of Insurance Trust Fund............................................................. 100.0%

Division of Registration.

7006-0040

For the operation and administration of the division of registration; provided, that of the funds appropriated herein, sufficient monies shall be expended for the reduction of case backlog at the boards of registration including, but not limited to, the board of registration in nursing; provided further, that said division shall provide a report detailing how the amount appropriated herein is projected to alleviate the complaint backlog of said division and said nursing board; and provided further, that said division shall submit said report to the house and senate committees on ways and means on or before February 15, 1999; provided further, that the division shall at all times employ not less than two hearing officers to facilitate the processing of cases pending before the various boards within said division; provided further, that the position of investigator of radio and television technicians shall not be subject to chapter 31 of the General Laws; and provided further, that the division shall maintain and staff an office in the city of Springfield

...............................................................$6,058,903

7006-0050

For personnel, administrative, computer, equipment, newsletter and other essential costs of the board of registration in nursing which shall be in addition to funds made available to said board in item 7006-0040

...............................................................$444,957

Division of Standards.

7006-0060

For the operation of the division of standards

...............................................................$524,106

7006-0066

For the support of the division of standard's municipal inspection efforts pursuant to section 2 OO of chapter 29 of the General Laws; provided, that up to 15 per cent of the amount appropriated herein may be expended for administrative costs of said division

...............................................................$300,000

Local Consumer Inspection Trust Fund............................................................. 100.0%

7006-0067

The division of standards is hereby authorized to expend an amount not to exceed $338,000 from revenues received from item pricing violations collected through municipal inspection efforts

...............................................................$338,000

Department of Telecommunications and Energy.

7006-0070

For the operation and administration of the department of telecommunications and energy including the community antenna television division; provided, that notwithstanding the provisions of the second sentence of the first paragraph of section 18 of chapter 25 of the General Laws, the assessments levied pursuant to said first paragraph of said section 18 of said chapter 25 for fiscal year 1999 shall be made at a rate sufficient to produce $8,528,435; and provided further, that the department shall maintain a toll free consumer access telephone number to facilitate state-wide citizen access on customer service issues in the delivery of cable television services

...............................................................$8,528,435

7006-0080

For the operation of the transportation division

...............................................................$646,931

7006-0090

The department of telecommunications and energy may expend revenues collected up to $225,000 for the operation of the energy facilities siting commission

...............................................................$225,000

Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.

7006-0100

For the operation and administration of the alcoholic beverages control commission; provided, that the commission shall take all steps necessary, up to and including amending its regulations, to eliminate duplication of tasks currently performed by said commission which are also performed by the cities and towns including, but not limited to, the performance of investigations

...............................................................$1,116,900

State Racing Commission.

7006-0110

For the operation of the state racing commission

...............................................................$3,533,729

Board of Registration In Medicine.

7006-0130

For the operation and administration of the board of medicine and the committee on acupuncture

...............................................................$1,418,566

7006-0135

For the costs of the physician profile program, so-called; provided, that in the event that expenditures and encumbrances for the purpose of this item exceed the amount appropriated herein, the comptroller shall transfer the amount of any such deficiency from item 7006-0130 to this item to ensure that said physician profile program, so-called, is maintained throughout fiscal year 1999

...............................................................$247,000