JR1 AB14: Bill Text

AB14,33,2 (3) Intrastate switched access rates. (a) Unless otherwise provided under federal law, an entity that provides an interconnected voice over Internet protocol service shall pay intrastate switched access rates in connection with the interconnected voice over Internet protocol services that it provides to the same extent that any telecommunications provider is obligated to pay intrastate switched access rates in connection with the telecommunications services that it provides.

AB14,33,9 (b) Unless otherwise provided under federal law, an entity that provides an intrastate switched access service in connection with interconnected voice over Internet protocol services shall be subject to s. 196.191 with respect to such intrastate switched access service and may charge intrastate switched access rates to the same extent that any telecommunications provider may charge intrastate switched access rates in connection with the intrastate switched access services that it provides.

AB14, s. 77 Section 77. 196.212 of the statutes is created to read:

AB14,33,11 196.212 Switched access rates. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB14,33,15 (a) "Affiliate" means any person, corporation, company, cooperative, unincorporated cooperative association, partnership, association, or other entity that is controlled by, or is under common control with, a telecommunications provider or telecommunications utility.

AB14,33,19 (b) "Large incumbent local exchange carrier" means an incumbent local exchange carrier that, with any affiliates that are incumbent local exchange carriers operating in the state, in total had 150,000 or more access lines in use in this state as of January 1, 2010.

AB14,33,23 (c) "Large nonincumbent" means a telecommunications provider that is not an incumbent local exchange carrier, that had 10,000 or more access lines in use in this state as of January 1, 2010, and that was granted an initial certification by the commission pursuant to s. 196.203 or 196.50 before January 1, 2011.

AB14,34,3 (d) "New nonincumbent" means a telecommunications provider, other than an alternative telecommunications utility certified under s. 196.203 pursuant to s. 196.50 (2) (j) 1. a., that is not an incumbent local exchange carrier and that was granted an initial certification by the commission pursuant to s. 196.203 or 196.50 on or after January 1, 2011.

AB14,34,7 (e) "Small incumbent local exchange carrier" means an incumbent local exchange carrier that, with any affiliates that are incumbent local exchange carriers operating in the state, in total had fewer than 150,000 access lines in use in this state as of January 1, 2010.

AB14,34,11 (f) "Small nonincumbent" means a telecommunications provider that is not an incumbent local exchange carrier, that had fewer than 10,000 access lines in use in this state as of January 1, 2010, and that was granted an initial certification by the commission pursuant to s. 196.203 or 196.50 before January 1, 2011.

AB14,34,15 (2) New nonincumbents and large nonincumbents. (a) New nonincumbents. Within 30 days of the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], a new nonincumbent may not charge intrastate switched access rates that are higher than its interstate switched access rates.

AB14,34,20 (b) Large nonincumbents. 1. Except for an increase in intrastate switched access rates under s. 196.191 (2) (d) 2. a. or (3) (b) in order to mirror its interstate switched access rates, a large nonincumbent may not charge intrastate switched access rates higher than the intrastate switched access rates it charged on January 1, 2011.

AB14,34,22 2. A large nonincumbent shall reduce its intrastate switched access rates as follows:

AB14,35,2 a. No later than 4 years after the effective date of this subd. 2. a. .... [LRB inserts date], the large nonincumbent shall reduce its intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 33 percent of the difference between its intrastate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction and its interstate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction.

AB14,35,7 b. No later than 5 years after the effective date of this subd. 2. b. .... [LRB inserts date], the large nonincumbent shall further reduce its intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 50 percent of the difference between its intrastate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction and its interstate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction.

AB14,35,12 c. No later than 6 years after the effective date of this subd. 2. c. .... [LRB inserts date], the large nonincumbent shall further reduce its intrastate switched access rates in order to mirror its interstate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction and, beginning no later than that date, may not charge intrastate switched access rates that are higher than its interstate switched access rates.

AB14,35,16 (3) Large incumbent local exchange carriers. A large incumbent local exchange carrier shall reduce its intrastate switched access rates to no higher than the large incumbent local exchange carrier's interstate switched access rates as follows:

AB14,35,19 (a) Beginning on the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the large incumbent local exchange carrier may not charge intrastate switched access rates higher than the intrastate switched access rates it charged on January 1, 2011.

AB14,35,24 (b) No later than 2 years after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the large incumbent local exchange carrier shall reduce its intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 25 percent of the difference between its intrastate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction and its interstate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction.

AB14,36,5 (c) No later than 3 years after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the large incumbent local exchange carrier shall further reduce its intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 33 percent of the difference between its intrastate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction and its interstate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction.

AB14,36,10 (d) No later than 4 years after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the large incumbent local exchange carrier shall further reduce its intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 50 percent of the difference between its intrastate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction and its interstate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction.

AB14,36,16 (e) No later than 5 years after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the large incumbent local exchange carrier shall further reduce its intrastate switched access rates in order to mirror its interstate switched access rates in effect prior to the reduction and, beginning no later than that date, may not charge intrastate switched access rates that are higher than its interstate switched access rates.

AB14,36,22 (4) Limited commission review. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, except to enforce this section and ss. 196.191(2) (d) 2. a. and 196.219 (2r), and except to enforce s. 196.191 (3) (b) only to allow an increase in intrastate switched access rates in order to mirror interstate switched access rates, the commission may not investigate, review, or set the intrastate switched access rates of large nonincumbents, new nonimcumbents, and large incumbent local exchange carriers.

AB14,37,2 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter except to enforce ss. 196.191 (2) (d) 2. and 196.219 (2r), during the 4-year period beginning on the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the commission may not investigate, review, or set the intrastate switched access rates of small incumbent local exchange carriers.

AB14,37,7 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter except to enforce ss. 196.191 (2) (d) 2. and 196.219 (2r), during the 3-year period beginning on the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the commission may not investigate, review, or set the intrastate switched access rates of small nonincumbents.

AB14,37,11 (5) Enforcement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the commission shall have jurisdiction to enforce payment of intrastate switched access rates set forth in a tariff required under s. 196.191 (1) or a contract for intrastate switched access service allowed under 196.191 (6).

AB14, s. 78 Section 78. 196.213 of the statutes is repealed.

AB14, s. 79 Section 79. 196.215 of the statutes is repealed.

AB14, s. 80 Section 80. 196.218 (1) (a) of the statutes is created to read:

AB14,37,16 196.218 (1) (a) "Essential telecommunications services" means the services or functionalities listed in 47 CFR 54.101 (a) as of January 1, 2010.

AB14, s. 81 Section 81. 196.218 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,37,20 196.218 (1) (c) "Universal service" includes the availability of a basic set of essential telecommunications services and access to advanced service capabilities of a modern telecommunications infrastructure anywhere in this state.

AB14, s. 82 Section 82. 196.218 (3) (a) 3m. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,38,2 196.218 (3) (a) 3m. Contributions under this paragraph may be based only on the gross operating revenues from the provision of broadcast services identified by the commission under subd. 2. and on intrastate telecommunications services in this state of the telecommunications providers subject to the contribution. Contributions based on revenues from interconnected voice over Internet protocol service shall be calculated as provided under s. 196.206 (2).

AB14, s. 83 Section 83. 196.218 (3) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,38,12 196.218 (3) (f) Notwithstanding ss. 196.196 (1) and (5) (d) 2., 196.20 (2m), (5) and (6), 196.213 and 196.215, a A telecommunications utility that provides local exchange service may make adjustments to local exchange service rates for the purpose of recovering its contributions to the universal service fund required under this subsection. A telecommunications utility that adjusts local exchange service rates for the purpose of recovering such contributions shall identify on customer bills a single amount that is the total amount of the adjustment. The public service commission shall provide telecommunications utilities the information necessary to identify such amounts on customer bills.

AB14, s. 84 Section 84. 196.218 (4) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB14,38,20 196.218 (4) Essential telecommunications services. (a) Each telecommunications provider that is designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier pursuant to 47 USC 214 (e) shall make available to its customers all essential telecommunications services. A telecommunications provider may satisfy this paragraph by providing essential telecommunications services itself or through an affiliate and in either case may provide essential telecommunications services through the use of any available technology or mode.

AB14,39,4 (b) Notwithstanding par. (a), if a commercial mobile radio service provider is designated or seeks designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier pursuant to 47 USC 214 (e) for the purpose of federal universal service funding and not for the purpose of state universal service funding, the commercial mobile radio service provider is not subject to any eligible telecommunications carrier requirements imposed by the commission and shall be subject only to the eligible telecommunications carrier requirements imposed by 47 USC 214 (e) (1) and regulations and orders of the federal communications commission implementing 47 USC 214 (e) (1).

AB14, s. 85 Section 85. 196.218 (5) (a) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB14, s. 86 Section 86. 196.218 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,39,10 196.218 (5) (b) The commission shall promulgate rules to determine whether a telecommunications provider, the customers of a telecommunications provider or another person shall be assisted by the universal service fund for any use under par. (a) 1. to and 4.

AB14, s. 87 Section 87. 196.218 (5) (c) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,39,16 196.218 (5) (c) 5. The extent to which the fund preserves and promotes an available and affordable basic set of essential telecommunications services, encourages access to the advanced service capabilities of a modern telecommunications infrastructure throughout the state and promotes economic development.

AB14, s. 88 Section 88. 196.218 (5r) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,39,20 196.218 (5r) (a) 1. The affordability of and accessibility to a basic set of essential telecommunications services and of advanced service capabilities throughout this state.

AB14, s. 89 Section 89. 196.218 (5r) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,40,2 196.218 (5r) (a) 4. An assessment of how successful investments identified in s. 196.196 (5) (f), assistance provided by the universal service fund, and price regulation and other alternative incentive regulations of telecommunications utilities designed to promote competition have been in advancing the public interest goals identified under s. 196.03 (6), and recommendations for further advancing those goals.

AB14, s. 90 Section 90. 196.219 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,40,6 196.219 (1) (b) "Local exchange service" has the meaning given in s. 196.50 (1) (b) 1. includes access service, basic local exchange service, and business access line and usage service within a local calling area.

AB14, s. 91 Section 91. 196.219 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,40,13 196.219 (2) (a) Notwithstanding any exemptions identified in this chapter except s. ss. 196.202, 196.203, 196.206, and 196.50, a telecommunications utility or provider shall provide protection to its consumers under this section unless exempted in whole or in part by rule or order of the commission under this section. The commission shall promulgate rules that identify the conditions under which provisions of this section may be suspended.

AB14, s. 92 Section 92. 196.219 (2m) of the statutes is repealed.

AB14, s. 93 Section 93. 196.219 (2r) of the statutes is created to read:

AB14,40,21 196.219 (2r) Switched access rates. Any reduction in intrastate switched access rates ordered by the commission prior to the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date], including any reduction ordered pursuant to s. 196.195, 2009 stats., shall remain effective unless modified by the commission in a subsequent order, or unless the ordered reduction is inconsistent with the requirements of s. 196.212.

AB14, s. 94 Section 94. 196.219 (3) (h) of the statutes is repealed.

AB14, s. 95 Section 95. 196.25 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,41,6 196.25 (1) If a public utility, other than a public utility that is a telecommunications provider, receives from the commission any questionnaire, the public utility shall respond fully, specifically and correctly to each question. If a public utility is unable to answer any question, the public utility shall give a good and sufficient reason for its failure. Every answer by a public utility under this section shall be verified under oath by the president, secretary, superintendent or general a manager of the public utility and returned to the commission at its office within the period fixed by the commission.

AB14, s. 96 Section 96. 196.25 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,41,12 196.25 (2) If required by the commission, a public utility, other than a public utility that is a telecommunications provider, shall deliver to the commission the original or a copy of any map, profile, contract or engineer's report and any other document, book, account, paper or record with a complete inventory of all its property, in such form as the commission directs.

AB14, s. 97 Section 97. 196.25 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,41,22 196.25 (3) If a telecommunications provider receives a questionnaire from the commission, the telecommunications provider shall respond specifically, correctly and fully to each question that relates to a matter over which the commission has jurisdiction. If a telecommunications provider is unable to answer any question, the telecommunications provider shall give a good and sufficient reason for its failure. Answers shall be verified under oath by the president, secretary, superintendent or general a manager of the telecommunications provider. A completed questionnaire shall be returned to the commission within the time period specified by the commission.

AB14, s. 98 Section 98. 196.26 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,42,2 196.26 (1) (a) A complaint filed with the commission that any rate, toll, charge, or schedule, joint rate, regulation, measurement, act, or practice relating to the provision of heat, light, water, or power , or telecommunications service is unreasonable, inadequate, unjustly discriminatory, or cannot be obtained.

AB14, s. 99 Section 99. 196.26 (4) of the statutes is repealed.

AB14, s. 100 Section 100. 196.28 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,42,8 196.28 (4) This section does not apply to rates, tolls or charges of a telecommunications cooperative, an unincorporated telecommunications cooperative association, or a small telecommunications utility except as provided in s. 196.205 or 196.215 (2).

AB14, s. 101 Section 101. 196.31 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,42,12 196.31 (1m) The commission shall compensate any consumer group or consumer representative for all reasonable costs of participating in a hearing under s. 196.196 (1) (g) or 196.198.

AB14, s. 102 Section 102. 196.37 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,42,18 196.37 (3) Any public utility to which an order under this section applies shall make such changes in schedules on file under s. 196.19 to make the schedules conform to the order. The public utility may not make any subsequent change in rates, tolls or charges without the approval of the commission, except as provided in s. 196.205 or 196.215 (2).

AB14, s. 103 Section 103. 196.37 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,42,23 196.37 (4) This section does not apply to rates, tolls or charges of a telecommunications cooperative, an unincorporated telecommunications cooperative association, or a small telecommunications utility except as provided in s. 196.205 or 196.215 (2).

AB14, s. 104 Section 104. 196.49 (1) (ag) of the statutes is repealed.

AB14, s. 105 Section 105. 196.49 (3) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,43,5 196.49 (3) (b) (intro.) Except as provided in par. (d), the The commission may require by rule or special order under par. (a) that no project may proceed until the commission has certified that public convenience and necessity require the project. The commission may refuse to certify a project if it appears that the completion of the project will do any of the following:

AB14, s. 106 Section 106. 196.49 (3) (d) of the statutes is repealed.

AB14, s. 107 Section 107. 196.50 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,43,9 196.50 (title) Competing public utilities; indeterminate permits,; telecommunications utility certification.

AB14, s. 108 Section 108. 196.50 (1) (b) 1. and 2. of the statutes are repealed.

AB14, s. 109 Section 109. 196.50 (1) (b) 3. of the statutes is renumbered 196.50 (1) (b).

AB14, s. 110 Section 110. 196.50 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,43,22 196.50 (2) (b) A certificate, franchise, license or permit, indeterminate or otherwise, in effect on September 1, 1994, for a telecommunications utility shall remain in effect and shall have the effect of a certificate of authority. A telecommunications utility is not required to apply for a new certificate of authority to continue offering or providing service to the extent of the prior authorization. Each telecommunications utility, including telecommunications cooperatives and unincorporated telecommunications cooperative associations, shall have on file with the commission under s. 196.19 a tariff that sets forth the rates, terms and conditions for all services provided and a map that defines the geographical limits of the service territory that the telecommunications utility is obliged to serve.

AB14, s. 111 Section 111. 196.50 (2) (e) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,44,5 196.50 (2) (e) 1. Pending the determination on an application for a certificate of authority or an amended certificate of authority, the commission may issue, without notice and hearing, a temporary license for a period not to exceed one year and may temporarily exempt the applicant from requirements of this chapter identified in s. 196.195 (5) if the exemption is in the public interest. The issuance of a temporary license does not bind the commission in the final determination on the application.

AB14, s. 112 Section 112. 196.50 (2) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB14,44,14 196.50 (2) (f) The commission shall issue a certificate of authority or an amended certificate of authority if it finds, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that the applicant possesses sufficient technical, financial and managerial resources to provide telecommunications service to any person within the identified geographic area. In making this determination, the commission shall consider the factors identified in s. 196.03 (6). The commission may order the applicant to satisfy any conditions that the commission considers to be necessary to protect the public interest, including structural safeguards.

AB14, s. 113 Section 113. 196.50 (2) (g) 3. of the statutes is repealed.

AB14, s. 114 Section 114. 196.50 (2) (h) of the statutes is repealed.