H-0978.4 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1750
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State of Washington 56th Legislature 1999 Regular Session
By Representatives Cooper, Crouse, Poulsen, G. Chandler, Doumit, DeBolt, Eickmeyer and Mulliken
Read first time 02/04/1999. Referred to Committee on Technology, Telecommunications & Energy.
AN ACT Relating to the provision of telecommunications by public entities; adding a new section to chapter 54.16 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The purpose of this act is to provide the express authority for public utility districts to provide telecommunications facilities and services for the benefit of our citizens by: (1) Requiring a public utility district that provides telecommunications facilities for public use to provide these facilities without charge to public schools and institutions of higher education located in the area that it serves and, if authorized by voters to provide telecommunication services, to provide telecommunication services to these public schools and institutions without charge; (2) increasing economic development opportunities, particularly of rural areas, by providing a cost-effective means of extending telecommunications facilities and, if authorized, telecommunication services throughout the entire state; and (3) stimulating the marketplace by increasing competition among the providers of telecommunications facilities and, if authorized, telecommunication services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 54.16 RCW to read as follows:
(1) A public utility district may construct, purchase, acquire, provide, add to, alter, improve, repair, and maintain telecommunications facilities within its boundaries, with capacity sufficient for its own use as well as use by others, and with full authority to regulate and control the use and price thereof. The public utility district has full discretion to classify the uses of these facilities on any reasonable ground and the rates charged shall be uniform for the same class of customers.
(2) A public utility district may provide telecommunication services within its boundaries if voters of the public utility district approve a ballot proposition authorizing the public utility district to provide telecommunication services, with full authority to regulate and control the price thereof.
(3) A public utility district providing telecommunications facilities or services may use its tax receipts to reduce the costs of these telecommunications facilities or services. Telecommunications facilities, works, lines, wires, and cables may be financed in whole or in part by the public utility creating local utility districts and imposing special assessments on benefited property within the local utility districts, other than the property of school districts and institutions of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, following the procedures provided under this chapter and chapter 35.51 RCW.
(4) Any public utility district providing telecommunications facilities or services for public use must provide these facilities and services to public schools and institutions of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, located within the area served by the public utility district's telecommunications facilities or services without charge and may provide telecommunications equipment and accessories to these public schools and institutions of higher education for no cost or at reduced cost. Any costs of providing these facilities, services, equipment, and accessories to public schools and institutions of higher education shall be part of the costs of providing telecommunications facilities and services to the public that is borne by rates and charges imposed on other persons using these facilities and services.
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