S-0573.2 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5156
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By Senators Sutherland, Gaspard, Sellar, Hochstatter and Loveland
Read first time 01/12/95. Referred to Committee on Energy, Telecommunications & Utilities.
AN ACT Relating to promoting competition for long distance telecommunications; adding new sections to chapter 80.36 RCW; creating new sections; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature has declared the policy of the state of Washington in RCW 80.36.300 to be in favor of promoting diversity in the supply of telecommunications services and products in telecommunications markets throughout the state, ever since the federally ordered divestiture of the Bell System in 1984. That divestiture separated the Bell System into: (1) Local service companies, limited to just service within defined geographic areas called local access transport areas and known as LATAs; and (2) an interexchange or inter-LATA company, which is free to provide any lawful service but can not purchase the operations of its divested operating companies. The expectation was that the operating companies would be permitted to compete in the inter-LATA arena as soon as interexchange providers could legally compete intra-LATA. In Washington, it has been lawful since 1985 for any company to provide any telecommunications service so long as it was properly registered with the Washington utilities and transportation commission. The only exceptions to this freedom for all telecommunications carriers in this state to compete in all markets is that the largest carrier in the state, which serves most of the state's citizens and geography, remains prohibited from providing inter-LATA telecommunications services, and the second largest exchange company in the state may only provide exchange services through a separate subsidiary. The legislature finds that these prohibitions and restrictions are unreasonable and are frustrating diversity of supply in all telecommunications markets in the state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 80.36 RCW to read as follows:
The policy of the state of Washington is in favor of the fair competitive provision by all carriers of all telecommunications services. Therefore, changing dialing patterns for intra-LATA toll in Washington state is prohibited until all carriers may provide inter-LATA, including interstate, as well as intra-LATA service on an integrated basis.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 80.36 RCW to read as follows:
In order to promote diversity of supply and competition in the provision of all services in the state, the commission shall require all carriers that are registered to provide service in this state to allow their customers to select the carrier the customers wish to provide their one plus dialed service. However, the commission shall not require any change in current intra-LATA one plus dialing patterns until all carriers are permitted to provide inter-LATA service on an integrated basis.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act shall be known as the fair long distance telecommunications competition act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1995.
--- END ---