By Hilbert                                            H.B. No. 2216
         76R6557 CBH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the disclosure of the rates for long distance calls
 1-3     made from a pay telephone.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 55, Utilities Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 55.1775 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 55.1775.  LONG DISTANCE PAY TELEPHONE RATES.  (a) Before
 1-8     connecting an interexchange telecommunications call made from a pay
 1-9     telephone, the  interexchange telecommunications carrier providing
1-10     the interexchange telecommunications service shall:
1-11                 (1)  announce the carrier's name; and
1-12                 (2)  quote the rate and any other fee or charge that
1-13     applies to the call and that is charged by the carrier.
1-14           (b)  An interexchange telecommunications carrier may not
1-15     impose a charge for:
1-16                 (1)  providing information under Subsection (a); or
1-17                 (2)  a call in which the caller decides not to use the
1-18     carrier to connect the call.
1-19           (c)  This section applies only to an interexchange
1-20     telecommunications carrier whose average rates for interexchange
1-21     telecommunications service from a pay telephone are at least 15
1-22     percent higher than the average rates for similar service charged
1-23     by the three largest interexchange telecommunications carriers
1-24     operating in this state.
 2-1           (d)  The commission shall adopt rules to implement and
 2-2     enforce this section.
 2-3           SECTION 2.  (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-4           (b)  Not later than January 1, 2000, the Public Utility
 2-5     Commission of Texas shall adopt rules to implement and enforce
 2-6     Section 55.1775, Utilities Code, as added by this Act.
 2-7           (c)  Section 55.1775, Utilities Code, as added by this Act,
 2-8     applies to a call made on or after January 1, 2000.  A call made
 2-9     before January 1, 2000, is governed by the law in existence when
2-10     the call was made, and that law is continued in effect for that
2-11     purpose.
2-12           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.