H-513 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL NO. 1756
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State of Washington 51st Legislature 1989 Regular Session
By Representatives Sprenkle, S. Wilson, Rector, Fuhrman, Hargrove, K. Wilson, Haugen, Jacobsen and Scott
Read first time 2/3/89 and referred to Committee on Energy & Utilities.
AN ACT Relating to the provision of extended area service by telecommunications companies; adding new sections to chapter 80.36 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. Universal telephone service for the people of the state of Washington is a policy goal of the legislature and has been enacted previously into Washington law. Access to universal and affordable telephone service enhances the economic and social well-being of Washington citizens. Extended area service is a method of providing telephone service that enhances accessibility and affordability and the legislature believes that wherever practicable extended area service should be provided for both business and residential customers.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. As used in sections 3 through 5 of this act, "extended area service" means the ability to call from one exchange to another exchange without incurring a toll charge.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Any business, resident, or community may petition for and shall receive extended area service under the following conditions:
(1) Any customer, business or residential, interested in obtaining extended area service in their community must collect and submit to the commission the signatures of a representative majority of affected customers in the community. A "representative majority" for purposes of this act consists of fifteen percent of the access lines in that community;
(2) After receipt of the signatures, the commission shall authorize a study to be conducted by the affected local exchange company in order to determine whether a community of interest exists for the implementation of extended area service. For purposes of this section a community of interest shall be found if the average number of calls per customer per month from the area petitioning for extended area service to the area to which extended area service will be implemented is at least five;
(3) If a community of interest exists, the commission shall then calculate any increased increment that would be applied to the area which would have extended area service granted to it. This increment should be based on the charges to a rate group having the same or similar calling capability as set forth in the tariffs of the local exchange telecommunications company involved; and
(4) After determining the amount of any additional increment, the commission shall notify the subscribers who will be affected by the increased increment and conduct a poll of those subscribers. If a simple majority votes its approval the commission shall order extended area service.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If the study ordered by the commission reveals that the community of interest requirement as set forth in section 3 of this act cannot be met, the commission shall order the local exchange company to offer an optional extended area service plan or "tollpak" plan approved by the commission for the area affected by the petition for extended area service.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If the study ordered by the commission reveals that the community of interest requirement as set forth in section 3 of this act cannot be met, and if petitioners can show that there are government offices, public schools and health care services which provide essential services to the affected community, then petitioners can apply for a waiver, in order that an extended area service can be developed to enable subscribers in the affected area to reach government offices providing essential services without incurring a toll charge.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 2 through 5 of this act are each added to chapter 80.36 RCW.