S-4650               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6838

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senator Sutherland

Read first time 1/30/90 and referred to Committee on  Energy & Utilities.

AN ACT Relating to toll message calls; adding a new section 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.     The legislature finds that as telecommunications increases in its importance to the state's economy, constant effort must be undertaken to maintain consumers' trust in the service provided within the state's telecommunications network.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 80.36 RCW to read as follows:

          No telecommunications company shall charge or demand payment for any specific toll message call without evidence of a specific call having been placed for which the charge or demand is made, unless the company indicates on the billing statement that there is a question as to the origin of the call.  If the commission finds that a telecommunications company has charged for message toll service incorrectly, the commission may order a refund for the amount of the charge and a credit for the same amount.