SRC-TBR S.B. 564 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 564
77R4647 MTB-FBy: Armbrister
Business & Commerce
2/26/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently,  the Texas Universal Service Fund (TUSF) provides assistance to
local telephone companies providing service in high-cost and rural areas of
the state.  TUSF is funded by a statewide uniform charge paid by
telecommunications providers, but pay phone providers do not bill their
customers on a regular monthly basis and absorb the costs associated with
the TUSF assessment.  As proposed, S.B. 564 exempts pay phone providers
from the TUSF assessment. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 56B, Utilities Code, by adding Section 56.0205,
as follows: 

Sec. 56.0205.  DEFINITION.  Provides that in this subchapter,
"telecommunications provider" does not include a provider of customer-owned
pay telephone service. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2001.