H-714                _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1212

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Betrozoff and Hankins

Read first time 1/18/89 and referred to Committee on Energy & Utilities.

AN ACT Relating to telephone exchanges; and amending RCW 80.36.230.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 80.36.230, chapter 14, Laws of 1961 as amended by section 37, chapter 450, Laws of 1985 and RCW 80.36.230 are each amended to read as follows:

          The commission is hereby granted the power to prescribe exchange area boundaries and/or territorial boundaries for telecommunications companies upon its own motion, or upon receipt of a petition signed by a majority of affected exchange area subscribers.

After investigation and hearing, the commission shall alter the exchange area boundary and/or territorial boundary of a telecommunications company if it finds that:

(1) (a) The telecommunications company serving the exchange area does not provide service to the satisfaction of the commission; or

(b) The public interest requires an alternate provider or providers of service; and

(2) (a) The change does not exclude the provision of telecommunications services by the current exchange area service provider;

(b) The telecommunications company that may receive new subscribers has declared in writing an ability and willingness to serve such subscribers;

(c) The exchange area boundaries and/or territorial boundaries of the area in question must not have been changed for at least seven years; and

(d) The change must not result in the creation of a noncontiguous exchange for any telecommunications company involved.