SB395: Bill Text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE

LRB-3056/1

EHS:cdc

2025 SENATE BILL 395

August 25, 2025 - Introduced by Senator Nass, cosponsored by Representatives Penterman, O'Connor, Gundrum, Dittrich, Knodl and Goodwin. Referred to Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism.

SB395,1,3 An Act to repeal 196.503; to amend 196.203 (1g) (b) and 196.50 (2) (j) 1. b. of the statutes; relating to: requirement for certain telecommunications providers to provide basic voice service.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill eliminates a provision enacted in 2011 Wisconsin Act 22 that has since been made ineffective. The provision required incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), to make basic voice service, defined as two-way voice communication service within a local calling area, available to all residential customers within the ILEC’s local exchange area. An ILEC is a telecommunications provider that resulted from the breakup of the Bell System pursuant to a federal antitrust action. The provision also required PSC to grant a waiver from this requirement when requested if in the public interest or if effective competition existed in the local exchange area. Current law sunsets these requirements after April 30, 2013.

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

SB395,1 Section 1. 196.203 (1g) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB395,2,7 196.203 (1g) (b) An alternative telecommunications utility certified under this section pursuant to s. 196.50 (2) (j) 1. a. is subject to ss. s. 196.219 (2r) and 196.503, and, with respect only to wholesale telecommunications services, is subject to ss. 196.03 (1) and (6), 196.219 (4), 196.28, and 196.37; and, if such an alternative telecommunications utility was regulated as a price-regulated telecommunications utility prior to June 9, 2011, the alternative telecommunications utility’s intrastate dedicated access rates shall mirror its interstate dedicated access rates.

SB395,2 Section 2. 196.50 (2) (j) 1. b. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB395,3,11 196.50 (2) (j) 1. b. Provide notice to the commission to recertify the telecommunications utility under this subsection and impose on the telecommunications utility only those provisions of this chapter specified in this subd. 1. b. No later than 30 days after receiving notice under this subd. 1. b., the commission shall issue an order that grants recertification under this subsection and that imposes on the telecommunications utility only those provisions of this chapter specified in this subd. 1. b. The telecommunications utility shall be exempt from all provisions of this chapter, except ss. 196.01, 196.016, 196.025 (6), 196.191, 196.206, 196.212, and 196.219 (2r), and 196.503; and except those provisions in s. 196.203 (4m) (a) that are imposed on all alternative telecommunications utilities under s. 196.203 (3); and except, with respect to its wholesale telecommunications services only, ss. 196.03 (1) and (6), 196.219 (4), 196.28, and 196.37. If required by the public interest, the commission may, with respect only to intrastate switched access services, impose on the telecommunications utility s. 196.03 (1) and (6) and 196.37, except that the commission may not impose s. 196.03 (1) or (6) without also imposing s. 196.37 on the telecommunications utility. The granting of the recertification shall operate to terminate the telecommunications utility’s prior certification. All regulatory requirements related to the prior certification that are inconsistent with the requirements of or regulation allowed under this subd. 1. b., including all such requirements imposed by the certification, and all such requirements imposed by the commission, whether by statute or commission rule or order, on the telecommunications utility are terminated on the effective date of the order unless the telecommunications utility, in its notice to the commission seeking recertification under this subd. 1. b., requests to remain subject to one or more requirements of its prior certification that do not violate the telecommunications utility’s requirements or obligations under this chapter and the commission does not deny the request in its recertification order.

SB395,3 Section 3. 196.503 of the statutes is repealed.

SB395,3,13 (end)