BILL REQ. #:  S-4499.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/04/04.   

     AN ACT Relating to the Washington telephone assistance program; amending RCW 80.36.410; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 80.36.410 and 2003 c 134 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (((1))) The legislature finds that universal telephone service is an important policy goal of the state. The legislature further finds that: (((a) Recent changes in the telecommunications industry, such as federal access charges, raise concerns about the ability of low-income persons to continue to afford access to local exchange telephone service; and (b) many low-income persons making the transition to independence from receiving supportive services through community agencies do not qualify for economic assistance from the department.
     (2) Therefore, the legislature finds that: (a))) (1) It is in the public interest to ((take steps to mitigate the effects of these changes on)) ensure that affordable basic telephone service is available to low-income persons; and (((b))) (2) advances in telecommunications technologies, such as community service voice mail, provide new and economically efficient ways to secure many of the benefits of universal service to low-income persons who are not customers of local exchange telephone service.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The legislature finds that recent changes in the telecommunications industry, including increased competition among companies and services, the increased migration of telephone customers to wireless services, and the development of new technologies such as voice-over-internet, have raised concerns about the long-term funding of the Washington telephone assistance program and its continued ability to provide assistance to low-income persons who may not be able to afford needed telephone services.
     (2) The department of social and health services shall convene a working group consisting of representatives of telecommunications providers, the office of financial management, the utilities and transportation commission, the office of public counsel, designees of the chair of the senate technology and communications committee and the house technology, telecommunications and energy committee, and community action agencies to review the current Washington telephone assistance program structure and the viability of its long-term funding. The department shall prepare a report setting forth the working group's findings and recommendations regarding the structure of the program, client eligibility, services to be covered, and program funding and administration.
     (3) The department shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2004.
     (4) This section expires July 1, 2005.