SB416: Bill Text

LRB-4426/1

MDK:kmg:rs

2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE

2001 Senate BILL 416

February 4, 2002 - Introduced by Senators Lazich and Roessler, cosponsored by Representatives Gundrum, Hahn, Hines and Owens. Referred to Committee on Health, Utilities, Veterans and Military Affairs.

SB416,1,3 An Act to amend 196.202 (2) and 196.203 (3) (d); and to create 196.219 (3m) of the statutes; relating to: requiring telecommunications providers to make certain notifications to residential customers and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires a telecommunications provider to notify a residential customer, in writing and by telephone, if the residential customer accumulates $100 or more in charges for telephone calls in a billing period. The notification must be made no later than 14 business days after $100 or more is accumulated. A telecommunications provider that violates the requirement is subject to a forfeiture of between $25 and $5,000.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB416, s. 1 Section 1. 196.202 (2) of the statutes, as affected by 2001 Wisconsin Act 16, is amended to read:

SB416,2,9 196.202 (2) Scope of regulation. A commercial mobile radio service provider is not subject to ch. 201 or this chapter, except as provided in sub. (5), and except that a commercial mobile radio service provider is subject to s. 196.218 (3) if the commission promulgates rules that designate commercial mobile radio service providers as eligible to receive universal service funding under both the federal and state universal service fund programs, and is subject to s. 196.219 (3m). If the commission promulgates such rules, a commercial mobile radio service provider shall respond, subject to the protection of the commercial mobile radio service provider's competitive information, to all reasonable requests for information about its operations in this state from the commission necessary to administer the universal service fund.

SB416, s. 2 Section 2. 196.203 (3) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB416,2,13 196.203 (3) (d) Section Sections 196.219 (3m) and 196.50 (1) (b) applies apply to an alternative telecommunications utility except for a provider of cable television service.

SB416, s. 3 Section 3. 196.219 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB416,2,21 196.219 (3m) Notice to residential customers. A telecommunications provider shall notify a residential customer in writing and by telephone if, at any time during a billing period, the residential customer accumulates $100 or more in charges for telephone calls in that period. Notice under this subsection must be made no later than 14 business days, as defined in s. 421.301 (6), after $100 or more in charges is accumulated. A telecommunications provider that violates this subsection may be required to forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $5,000.

SB416, s. 4 Section 4. Initial applicability.

SB416,2,24 (1) The treatment of section 196.219 (3m) of the statutes first applies to billing periods commencing on the effective date of this subsection.

SB416, s. 5 Section 5. Effective date.

SB416,3,2 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 3rd month beginning after publication.

SB416,3,3 (End)