Amend CSHB 1983 (Senate Committee Printing) as follows:
(1) Between Sections 33 and 34 of the bill (page 14, between
lines 22 and 23), insert:
SECTION 34. Section 56.021, Utilities Code, as amended by
Section 18.08, S.B. No. 1368, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular
Session, 1999, 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 local exchange companies in providing basic
local telecommunications service at reasonable rates in high cost
rural areas;
(2) reimburse local exchange companies for revenue
lost by providing tel-assistance service under Subchapter C;
(3) reimburse the telecommunications carrier that
provides the statewide telecommunications relay access service
under Subchapter D;
(4) finance the specialized telecommunications device
assistance program established under Subchapter E; <and>
(5) 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; and
(6) reimburse the Texas Department of Transportation
for direct and indirect costs incurred in implementing a rural
highway emergency communications system authorized by Chapter 226,
Transportation Code, on the condition that:
(A) the reimbursement does not exceed $7 million
annually; and
(B) the department give expenditure priority to
rural and underserved areas.
SECTION 35. Section 56.023(a), Utilities Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The commission shall:
(1) in a manner that assures reasonable rates for
basic local telecommunications service, adopt eligibility criteria
and review procedures, including a method for administrative
review, the commission finds necessary to fund the universal
service fund and make distributions from that fund;
(2) determine which local exchange companies meet the
eligibility criteria;
(3) determine the amount of and approve a procedure
for reimbursement to local exchange companies of revenue lost in
providing tel-assistance service under Subchapter C;
(4) establish and collect fees from the universal
service fund necessary to recover the costs the department and the
commission incur in administering this chapter and Chapter 57;
<and>
(5) approve procedures for the collection and
disbursal of the revenue of the universal service fund; and
(6) coordinate with the Department of Transportation
on procedures for reimbursing the costs incurred for the
implementation of a rural highway emergency communications system
authorized by Chapter 226, Transportation Code.
(2) Renumber Sections 34-39 of the bill accordingly.