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.