AB729: Bill Text

LRB-3874/1

MDK:kmg:pg

2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Assembly BILL 729

January 7, 2004 - Introduced by Representative Gard. Referred to Committee on Job Creation.

AB729,1,3 An Act to create 196.50 (2) (i) of the statutes; relating to: petitions by certain telecommunications utilities regarding unbundled network or service elements.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates deadlines for the Public Service Commission (PSC) to make decisions on petitions filed by certain telephone companies for a determination of rates or costs of unbundled network or service elements. The deadlines apply to petitions filed by companies that are certified by the PSC as "telecommunications utilities," but not those companies that are certified by the PSC as "alternative telecommunications utilities." Under federal law, the telecommunications utilities may be required to provide unbundled network elements to alternative telecommunications utilities that compete with the telecommunications utilities. In general, "unbundled network elements" refers to the facilities of a telecommunications utility that a competitor needs to provide local telephone service.

Under this bill, if a telecommunications utility files a petition with the PSC on or after the effective date of the bill to determine the rates or costs of unbundled network elements under federal or state law, the PSC must enter a final decision on the petition no later than 180 days after the petition is filed. For such a petition that is pending with the PSC on the effective date of the bill, the PSC must enter a decision no later than 180 days after the effective date of the bill. The bill's requirements also apply to petitions filed with the PSC regarding rates or costs of unbundled service elements under state or federal law.

For further information see the state 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:

AB729, s. 1 Section 1. 196.50 (2) (i) of the statutes is created to read:

AB729,2,10 196.50 (2) (i) If a telecommunications utility certified under this subsection petitions the commission to determine rates or costs of unbundled network elements or unbundled service elements under federal or state law, the commission shall complete the proceedings and enter a final decision on the petition no later than 180 days after the petition is filed with the commission, except that if such a petition is pending with the commission on the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], the commission shall complete the proceedings and enter a final decision on the petition no later than 180 days after the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date].

AB729,2,11 (End)