Bill Text: TX HB2295 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the administration of the universal service fund.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - Effective immediately [HB2295 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB2295-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 2295 | ||
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| relating to the administration of the universal service fund. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 56.021, Utilities Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 56.021. UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND ESTABLISHED. The | ||
| commission shall adopt and enforce rules requiring local exchange | ||
| companies to establish a universal service fund to: | ||
| (1) assist telecommunications providers in providing | ||
| basic local telecommunications service at reasonable rates in high | ||
| cost rural areas under two plans: | ||
| (A) the Texas High Cost Universal Service Plan | ||
| (16 T.A.C. Section 26.403); and | ||
| (B) the Small and Rural Incumbent Local Exchange | ||
| Company Universal Service Plan (16 T.A.C. Section 26.404); | ||
| (2) reimburse the telecommunications carrier that | ||
| provides the statewide telecommunications relay access service | ||
| under Subchapter D; | ||
| (3) finance the specialized telecommunications | ||
| assistance program established under Subchapter E; | ||
| (4) reimburse the department, the Texas Commission for | ||
| the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the commission for costs incurred | ||
| in implementing this chapter and Chapter 57; | ||
| (5) reimburse a telecommunications carrier providing | ||
| lifeline service as provided by 47 C.F.R. Part 54, Subpart E, as | ||
| amended; | ||
| (6) finance the implementation and administration of | ||
| an integrated eligibility process created under Section 17.007 for | ||
| customer service discounts relating to telecommunications | ||
| services, including outreach expenses the commission determines | ||
| are reasonable and necessary; | ||
| (7) reimburse a designated provider under Subchapter | ||
| F; | ||
| (8) reimburse a successor utility under Subchapter G; | ||
| and | ||
| (9) finance the program established under Subchapter | ||
| H. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2011. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 2295 was passed by the House on May 5, | ||
| 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 2295 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
| 20, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| _____________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
