By Barrientos                                          S.B. No. 687
         76R5374 DWS-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to lifeline and tel-assistance telecommunications
 1-3     services.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 55, Utilities Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 55.012 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 55.012.  LIFELINE SERVICE.  (a)  The commission shall
 1-8     adopt rules prohibiting a telecommunications provider from
 1-9     discontinuing local exchange telephone service to a consumer who
1-10     receives lifeline service because of nonpayment by the consumer of
1-11     charges for other services billed by the provider, including long
1-12     distance service.
1-13           (b)  The commission shall adopt rules providing for automatic
1-14     enrollment to receive lifeline service for eligible consumers.
1-15     Each state agency, on request of the commission, shall assist in
1-16     the adoption and implementation of those rules.
1-17           (c)  A telecommunications provider may block a lifeline
1-18     service participant's access to all long distance service except
1-19     toll-free numbers when the participant owes an outstanding amount
1-20     for that service.  The telecommunications provider shall remove the
1-21     block without additional cost to the participant on payment of the
1-22     outstanding amount.
1-23           (d)  A telecommunications provider shall offer a consumer who
1-24     applies for or receives lifeline service the option of blocking all
 2-1     toll calls or placing a limit on the amount of toll calls.  The
 2-2     provider may not charge the consumer an administrative charge or
 2-3     other additional amount for the blocking service.
 2-4           SECTION 2.  Section 56.072, Utilities Code, is amended by
 2-5     adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
 2-6           (d)  The commission shall adopt rules providing for automatic
 2-7     enrollment to receive tel-assistance service for eligible
 2-8     consumers.  Each state agency, on request of the commission, shall
 2-9     assist in the adoption and implementation of those rules.
2-10           SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 56, Utilities Code, is
2-11     amended by adding Section 56.079 to read as follows:
2-12           Sec. 56.079.  RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER SERVICES.  (a)  The
2-13     commission shall adopt rules prohibiting a telecommunications
2-14     provider from discontinuing local exchange telephone service to a
2-15     consumer who receives tel-assistance service because of nonpayment
2-16     by the consumer of charges for other services billed by the
2-17     provider, including long distance service.
2-18           (b)  A telecommunications provider may block a tel-assistance
2-19     service participant's access to all long distance service except
2-20     toll-free numbers when the participant owes an outstanding amount
2-21     for that service.  The telecommunications provider shall remove the
2-22     block without additional cost to the participant on payment of the
2-23     outstanding amount.
2-24           (c)  A telecommunications provider shall offer a consumer who
2-25     applies for or receives tel-assistance service the option of
2-26     blocking all toll calls or placing a limit on the amount of toll
2-27     calls.  The provider may not charge the consumer an administrative
 3-1     charge or other additional amount for the blocking service.
 3-2           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 3-3           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
 3-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 3-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 3-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.