| 1 | Representative Mayfield offered the following: |
| 2 |
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| 3 | Amendment (with title amendment) |
| 4 | Remove everything after the enacting clause, and insert: |
| 5 | Section 1. (1) The Florida Telecommunications Policy |
| 6 | Strategy Task Force is created and housed for administrative |
| 7 | purposes within the Public Service Commission. The task force |
| 8 | shall operate independently of the commission. |
| 9 | (2)(a) The task force shall consist of seven members, |
| 10 | three appointed by the Governor, two appointed by the President |
| 11 | of the Senate, and two appointed by the Speaker of the House of |
| 12 | Representatives. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the |
| 13 | appointing official. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same |
| 14 | manner as the original appointment. |
| 15 | (b) Only members who possess expertise in state or |
| 16 | national telecommunications policy, legal developments, and |
| 17 | technical matters may be appointed. |
| 18 | (c) A person who works directly for or who performs |
| 19 | contract work for a telecommunications company may not be |
| 20 | appointed. |
| 21 | (d) Members shall serve without compensation but shall be |
| 22 | entitled to reimbursement of travel and per diem expenses |
| 23 | pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, relating to completing |
| 24 | their duties and responsibilities under this section. |
| 25 | (3) The task force shall: |
| 26 | (a) Survey existing national and state regulatory, rate, |
| 27 | and tax policies relating to the telecommunications industry. |
| 28 | (b) Provide the Legislature with a concise presentation of |
| 29 | the telecommunications policy landscape. |
| 30 | (c) Identify and make recommendations relating to key tax |
| 31 | and regulatory issues that the Legislature and the Public |
| 32 | Service Commission should address, consistent with the |
| 33 | principles enumerated in subsection (4). |
| 34 | (d) Make specific recommendations for the Legislature's |
| 35 | Legislature's consideration. |
| 36 | (4) In conducting its investigations, deliberating, and |
| 37 | making recommendations, the task force shall consider the |
| 38 | following principles: |
| 39 | (a) The state should pursue policies that seek to maximize |
| 40 | access by residents of this state to the widest number of |
| 41 | technologies. At a minimum, all residents of this state should |
| 42 | have access to affordable telephone service. |
| 43 | (b) Recommendations should be revenue neutral or revenue |
| 44 | reducing; that is, revenues generated from telecommunications |
| 45 | taxes in the aggregate should in no case exceed projected |
| 46 | aggregate revenues if no changes in policies are made. |
| 47 | (c) Taxes and regulations should be applied equitably; |
| 48 | that is, government policies should not favor certain |
| 49 | technologies over others and should not create or allow |
| 50 | competitive inequities among providers or users of |
| 51 | communications services. |
| 52 | (d) Government intervention should be avoided to the |
| 53 | greatest extent possible, except as necessary to ensure a |
| 54 | predictable, competitive telecommunications environment that |
| 55 | minimizes the likelihood of lawsuits, provides basic consumer |
| 56 | protections, and provides all residents of this state with |
| 57 | access to affordable telephone service. |
| 58 | (e) Competition should be encouraged among |
| 59 | telecommunications companies and among telecommunications |
| 60 | technologies. |
| 61 | (5) The task force shall select a chair and vice chair and |
| 62 | shall meet at the call of the chair or as often as necessary to |
| 63 | accomplish the purposes of this section. |
| 64 | (6) The Public Service Commission shall provide |
| 65 | administrative support and staff for the task force. |
| 66 | (7) The task force shall prepare a report containing a |
| 67 | summary of its investigations and deliberations and any |
| 68 | recommendations and submit the report to the Governor, the |
| 69 | President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of |
| 70 | Representatives by November 30, 2004. |
| 71 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |
| 72 |
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| 73 | ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ============= |
| 74 | Remove the entire title, and insert: |
| 75 | A bill to be entitled |
| 76 | An act relating to telecommunications services; creating |
| 77 | the Florida Telecommunications Policy Strategy Task |
| 78 | Force; providing for appointment of members; providing |
| 79 | qualifications and limitations; providing |
| 80 | responsibilities; providing guiding principles; requiring |
| 81 | the Public Service Commission to provide administrative |
| 82 | support and staff; requiring a report to the Governor and |
| 83 | Legislature; providing an effective date. |