Senate Bill 2296

    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 2296

    By Senator Casas





    39-1428-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to telecommunications services;

  3         amending s. 364.0252, F.S.; directing the

  4         Public Service Commission to inform consumers

  5         about specific matters in the

  6         telecommunications services market; providing

  7         an appropriation; providing an effective date.

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  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  Section 364.0252, Florida Statutes, 1998

12  Supplement, is amended to read:

13         364.0252  Expansion of consumer information programs;

14  customer assistance; rulemaking authority.--By January 1,

15  1999, The Florida Public Service Commission shall expand its

16  current consumer information program to inform consumers of

17  their rights as customers of competitive telecommunications

18  services and shall assist customers in resolving any billing

19  and service disputes that customers are unable to resolve

20  directly with the company. The commission may, pursuant to

21  this program, require all telecommunications companies

22  providing local or long distance telecommunications services

23  to develop and provide information to customers. The

24  commission may specify by rule the types of information to be

25  developed and the manner by which the information will be

26  provided to the customers. On July 1, 1999, the Public Service

27  Commission shall undertake a comprehensive and ongoing effort

28  to inform consumers regarding how to protect themselves in a

29  competitive telecommunications market. Of specific concern are

30  informing consumers concerning the availability of the

31  Lifeline and Link-Up Programs for low-income households and

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 2296
    39-1428-99




  1  alerting consumers to how they can avoid having their service

  2  changed or unauthorized charges added to their telephone

  3  bills.

  4         Section 2.  There is appropriated from the Florida

  5  Public Service Regulatory Trust Fund to the Public Service

  6  Commission the sum of $1 million and 2 additional positions

  7  are authorized for the purpose of carrying out the provisions

  8  of this act for Fiscal Year 1999-2000.

  9         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

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12                          SENATE SUMMARY

13    Directs the Public Service Commission to inform consumers
      of telecommunications services about how to protect
14    themselves in a competitive market.

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