S-1224.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5846

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Fraser, T. Sheldon and Kohl‑Welles

Read first time 02/05/2001.  Referred to Committee on Economic Development & Telecommunications.

Prohibiting long-distance charges after the local phone number has been canceled.

    AN ACT Relating to prohibiting charges for long-distance telecommunications services after the local exchange telecommunications service has been canceled; and adding a new section to chapter 80.36 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 80.36 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) No telecommunications company may charge a customer any fees related to the provision of long-distance telecommunications services associated with a local exchange telephone number after the customer has canceled local exchange service for that telephone number.

    (2) It shall be a complete defense to payment of any charge or fee related to the provision of long-distance telecommunications services associated with a local exchange telephone number that the customer had canceled local exchange service for that telephone number.

    (3) Upon the cancellation of local exchange telephone service associated with a particular telephone number for any reason, including the transfer of service to a new telephone number, a local exchange telecommunications company shall notify the customer that it is not legally responsible for notifying the customer's long-distance telecommunications company that the local exchange service has been canceled or transferred.  The commission may prescribe the form and content of the notice in rule.

    (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a local exchange telecommunications company from notifying a customer's long-distance telecommunications company that local exchange service has been canceled or transferred to another telephone number.

    (5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a long-distance telecommunications company from charging a reasonable fee to cancel or transfer long-distance service to a new telephone number.

                            --- END ---