H-3734              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1289

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives Lewis, Miller, McLean, Brough, Braddock, Nealey, Day, Zellinsky, Kremen, Patrick, Butterfield, Ballard, Dellwo, Winsley, May, Schoon, Doty, Rayburn and P. King

Prefiled with Chief Clerk 1/7/88.  Read first time 1/11/88 and referred to Committee on Energy & Utilities.

AN ACT Relating to utility regulation; and amending RCW 80.36.410, 80.36.420, and 80.36.470.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 3, chapter 229, Laws of 1987 and RCW 80.36.410 are each amended to read as follows:

          The legislature finds that universal telephone service is an important policy goal of the state.  The legislature further finds that recent changes in the telecommunications industry, such as federal access charges, raise concerns about the ability of low-income senior citizens and persons who are medically at risk to continue to afford access to local exchange telephone service.  Therefore, the legislature finds that it is in the public interest to take steps to mitigate the effects of these changes on low-income senior citizens and persons who are medically at risk.

        Sec. 2.  Section 4, chapter 229, Laws of 1987 and RCW 80.36.420 are each amended to read as follows:

          Lifeline assistance shall be available to eligible participants of department programs set forth in RCW 80.36.470.  Lifeline assistance shall consist of the following components:

          (1) A discount on service connection fees of fifty percent as set forth in RCW 80.36.460.

          (2) A waiver of deposit requirements on local exchange service, as set forth in RCW 80.36.460.

          (3) A discounted flat rate lifeline service rate for local exchange service, which shall be subject to the following conditions:

          (a) The commission shall establish a single lifeline service rate for all local exchange companies operating in the state of Washington.  The lifeline service rate shall include any federal end user access charges and any other charges necessary to obtain local exchange service.

          (b) The commission shall, in establishing the lifeline service rate, consider all charges for local exchange service, including federal end user access charges, mileage charges, extended area service, and any other charges necessary to obtain local exchange service.

          (c) The lifeline service rate shall only be available to eligible customers subscribing to the lowest available local exchange flat rate service, where the lowest local exchange flat rate, including any federal end user access charges and any other charges necessary to obtain local exchange service, is greater than the lifeline service rate.

          (d) The cost of providing the lifeline service shall be paid, to the maximum extent possible, by a waiver of all or part of the federal end user access charge and, to the extent necessary, from the lifeline fund created by RCW 80.36.430.

        Sec. 3.  Section 9, chapter 229, Laws of 1987 and RCW 80.36.470. are each amended to read as follows:

The following participants in ((the following)) department programs are eligible for lifeline assistance:

(1) Families with a demonstrated medical situation requiring telephone service who receive aid to families with dependent children((,));

(2) Chore services((,)) recipients;

(3) Persons fifty-five years of age or older who receive food stamps((,));

(4) Supplemental security income((, refugee assistance,)) recipients; and

(5) Community options program entry system (COPES) recipients.

          The department shall notify the participants of their eligibility.