Bill Text: TX HB2805 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the administration of the universal service fund.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-04-17 - Left pending in committee [HB2805 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB2805-Introduced.html
| By: Geren | H.B. No. 2805 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| 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 as | ||
| follows: | ||
| (1) assist telecommunications providers in providing | ||
| basic local telecommunications service at reasonable rates in high | ||
| cost rural areas as defined by Section 56.040 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); | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Utilities Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 56.040 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 56.040. ELIGIBILITY FOR SUPPORT IN HIGH COST RURAL | ||
| AREAS. (a) For purposes of this subchapter "high cost rural area" | ||
| means an exchange the entirety of which is outside of any | ||
| metropolitan statistical area as defined by the United States | ||
| Office of Management and Budget. | ||
| (b) For each incumbent local exchange company that has | ||
| greater than 7,000 access lines in this state: | ||
| (1) except as provided in Section 56.040(c), beginning | ||
| on January 1, 2017, an incumbent local change company shall not | ||
| receive funds under the Texas High Cost Universal Service Plan to | ||
| support service in exchanges that are not high cost rural areas; | ||
| (2) except as provided in Section 56.040(c), beginning | ||
| on January 1, 2018, an incumbent local change company shall not | ||
| receive funds under Small and Rural Incumbent Local Exchange | ||
| Company Universal Service Plan to support service in exchanges that | ||
| are not high cost rural areas; and | ||
| (3) for each incumbent local exchange company that | ||
| receives funds under the Small and Rural Incumbent Local Exchange | ||
| Company Universal Service Plan, the commission may determine a | ||
| schedule of yearly support reductions to take effect between | ||
| September 1, 2013 and January 1, 2018. | ||
| (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 56.040(b), an | ||
| incumbent local exchange company that is subject to Section | ||
| 56.040(b) may initiate a proceeding to petition the commission to | ||
| designate an exchange as eligible for support under plans | ||
| established pursuant to Section 56.021(1) for any exchange that | ||
| received support as of September 1, 2013 and is not a high cost | ||
| rural area. In order for an exchange that is not a high cost rural | ||
| area to be eligible for funds under plans established pursuant to | ||
| Section 56.021(1), the incumbent local exchange company must | ||
| demonstrate that there exists a need for continuing support. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
