By Danburg                                      H.B. No. 3145

      75R7026 CBH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the administration of the state's telecommunications

 1-3     numbering plan.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Section 403.026 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 403.026.  STATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS NUMBERING PLAN.  (a)

 1-8     The comptroller is responsible for the administration of this

 1-9     state's portion of  the North American Numbering Plan for assigning

1-10     telecommunications numbers.

1-11           (b)  In administering the numbering plan, the comptroller

1-12     shall ensure that:

1-13                 (1)  there is a clear individual right to the telephone

1-14     number initially assigned to a person and that the number is

1-15     portable;

1-16                 (2)  the state retains sovereignty over the statewide

1-17     and regional allocation  of telephone numbers and area codes; and

1-18                 (3)  the numbering plan eliminates, to the extent

1-19     constitutionally possible, charges relating to:

1-20                       (A)  the assignment or use of telecommunications

1-21     numbers;

1-22                       (B)  number portability; and

1-23                       (C)  the switching and termination of

1-24     telecommunications traffic.

 2-1           SECTION 2.  Section 3.455, Public Utility Regulatory Act of

 2-2     1995 (Article 1446c-0, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is repealed.

 2-3           SECTION 3.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this

 2-4     section, this Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-5           (b)  Section 2 of this Act takes effect January 1, 1998.

 2-6           (c)  Not later than January 1, 1998, or on an earlier date

 2-7     provided by an interagency agreement, the comptroller shall assume

 2-8     from the Public  Utility Commission of Texas responsibility for the

 2-9     telecommunications numbering plan in accordance with Section

2-10     403.026, Government Code, as added by this  Act.  The Public

2-11     Utility Commission of Texas shall transfer to the comptroller any

2-12     documents or other items relating to the numbering plan on the date

2-13     on which the comptroller assumes  responsibility.

2-14           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-15     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-16     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-17     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-18     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.