HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHB 1796

BYRepresentatives Padden, Winsley, Brough and D. Sommers 

Requiring specific access service for "976" information-access telephone services.

House Committe on Energy & Utilities

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments. (15)

      Signed by Representatives Nelson, Chair; Todd, Vice Chair; Armstrong, Barnes, Brooks, Gallagher, Hankins, Jacobsen, Jesernig, May, Meyers, Miller, Sutherland, Unsoeld and S. Wilson.

House Staff:Fred Adair (786-7113)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 10, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Information access telephone services ("976 Services") are in widespread use in the state.  These services operate on a charge per call basis, with some of them also having an increasing charge for the duration of the call.

Children, especially, might not know about the charges and can run up huge telephone bills without parents' knowledge. Moreover, certain of the services are considered objectionable by some and, accordingly, they would like to preclude access to these services.

SUMMARY:

By December 1,1988 the Utilities and Transportation Commission shall by rule require telecommunications companies to limit access to 976 or other information delivery service numbers only to those customers specifically so requesting.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):  Legislative intent is added that the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) is to distinguish between information delivery services which are misleading to consumers, directed at minors, or otherwise objectionable, and those which are not.

The approach to precluding customer access to objectionable services is changed.  Originally, a customer must request access to information delivery services.  In the amendment, a local telephone exchange company that offers information service must offer blocking.

UTC rules must be in effect by October rather than December 1988.

The amendment directs the UTC to investigate and report on methods to protect minors from objectionable information services including a study of personal identification numbers, credit cards, scramblers, and beep tone devices as methods of limiting access.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Padden, sponsor; Andrea Vangor, Washington Together Against Pornography; Georgina Clarke, citizen who had worked as a dial-a-porn talker; Dale Vincent, Pacific Northwest Bell (Did not testify for or against - he came forward at the request of the chairman to answer questions.); Frank Figg, General Telephone (again, no position, called forward to answer questions).

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Cases of large bills were cited as well as intensive advertising directed toward teenagers for dial-a-porn services.  Deleterious effects on both callers and the dial-a-porn talkers were stated, including dangers to persons not in the conversation stemming from the conversation.  Current practice of a number of telecommunications companies is to offer prefix blocking service for a one-time charge of $7.50.  A new filing has been made by Pacific Northwest Bell to provide free prefix blocking and place selected information services on a new and different prefix.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 95; Absent 1; Excused 2

Absent:     Representative Locke

Excused:    Representatives Bristow, Taylor