Bill Text: NH SB48 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to filing of rates for certain telephone services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-16 - Senate Rereferred to Committee, Motion Adopted, Voice Vote, Senate Journal 5, Pg.56 [SB48 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2011-SB48-Introduced.html
SB 48 – AS INTRODUCED
2011 SESSION
06/03
SENATE BILL 48
AN ACT relative to filing of rates for certain telephone services.
SPONSORS: Sen. Odell, Dist 8; Sen. Lambert, Dist 13; Sen. Luther, Dist 12
COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources
This bill exempts certain telephone service providers from laws regulating rates, charges, billing, and privacy.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
11-1025
06/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven
AN ACT relative to filing of rates for certain telephone services.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Public Utilities; Rates and Charges; Schedules. Amend RSA 378:1 to read as follows:
378:1 Schedules. Except as provided in RSA 378:1-b, every public utility shall file with the public utilities commission, and shall print and keep open to public inspection, schedules showing the rates, fares, charges, and prices for any service rendered or to be rendered in accordance with the rules adopted by the commission pursuant to RSA 541-A; provided, however, that public utilities which serve as seasonal tourist attractions only, as determined in accordance with rules adopted by the commission pursuant to RSA 541-A, shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
2 New Sections; Definitions; Exemptions. Amend RSA 378 by inserting after section 1 the following new sections:
378:1-a Definitions. In this subdivision:
I. “Basic service” means:
(a) Safe and reliable single-party voice service.
(b) The ability to receive all non-collect calls, at telephone lines capable of receiving calls, without additional charge.
(c) The ability to complete calls to any other telephone line, which is capable of receiving calls, in the state.
(d) The opportunity to presubscribe to interLATA toll carriers.
(e) The opportunity to presubscribe to intraLATA toll carriers.
(f) Dialing parity.
(g) Number portability.
(h) Enhanced 911, pursuant to the requirements of the department of safety, bureau of emergency communications, or its successor agency.
(i) Access to statewide directory assistance.
(j) Telecommunications relay service (TRS).
(k) A white pages directory listing.
(l) A non-electronic telephone directory.
(m) A caller identification blocking option, on a per-call basis.
(n) A caller identification line blocking option that is available to all customers without a recurring charge and is provided upon customer request without charge to customers who have
elected nonpublished telephone numbers and is available without a non-recurring charge to customers who certify that caller identification threatens their health or safety and is available without a non-recurring charge when requested with installation of basic service.
(o) A blocking option for pay-per-call calls, such as blocking all 900 or all 976 calls.
(p) The ability to report service problems to the customer’s basic service provider on a 24-hour basis, 7 days a week.
(q) Automatic Number Identification (ANI) to other carriers which accurately identifies the telephone number of the calling party.
II. “Incumbent local exchange carrier” means a local exchange carrier authorized to do business in the state prior to the passage of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.
III. “InterLATA” service means telecommunications between a point located in a local access and transport area and a point located outside such area.
IV. “IntraLATA” service means telecommunications between 2 points located in the same local access and transport area.
378:1-b Exemptions.
I. Except for the provision of basic service, incumbent local exchange carriers providing telephone services to 25,000 or more lines, or operating under a commission-approved alternative regulation plan pursuant to RSA 374:3-b, shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter; provided, however, that such incumbent local exchange carriers shall make available for public inspection schedules showing the rates, fares, charges, and prices for any service.
II. Non-incumbent local exchange carriers shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter, provided however, that such non-incumbent local exchange carriers shall make available for public inspection schedules showing the rates, fares, charges, and prices for any service.
3 Special Contracts for Service. Amend RSA 378:18 to read as follows:
378:18 Special Contracts for Service.
I. Nothing herein shall prevent a public utility from making a contract for service at rates other than those fixed by its schedules of general application, if special circumstances exist which render such departure from the general schedules just and consistent with the public interest and[, except as provided in RSA 378:18-b,] the commission shall by order allow such contract to take effect.
II. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, special contracts for service provided by telephone utilities shall not be filed with the commission for its approval, nor is such approval required in order for the special contract to take effect.
4 Repeal. RSA 378:18-b, relative to special contracts for telephone utilities, is repealed.
5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
