AUGUSTA – A proposal to protect consumers who buy pre-paid phone cards from rate hikes that result in unexpected loss of calling minutes is awaiting Gov. John Baldacci’s signature.

The state Senate on Thursday gave the bill its final approval, sending it to the governor’s desk.

The bill requires that customers get all of the minutes they signed up for when they bought their phone cards.

It stems from complaints state officials received after a company raised its rates, causing the company to dock customers chunks of the minutes they had bought. This took some people by surprise and resulted in complaints to the Public Utilities Commission.