Senate Bill sb1320

    Florida Senate - 2005                                  SB 1320

    By the Committee on Communications and Public Utilities





    579-912B-05

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Lifeline and Link-Up

  3         Assistance Program; amending s. 364.10, F.S.;

  4         requiring the Public Service Commission to

  5         increase enrollment of customers in the

  6         Lifeline and Link-Up Assistance Program;

  7         directing the commission to establish

  8         eligibility criteria for the program; requiring

  9         the commission to review the current

10         promotional efforts of the telecommunications

11         companies participating in the program;

12         authorizing the commission to direct the

13         participating telecommunications companies to

14         increase their promotional programs and related

15         promotional spending; requiring the commission

16         to establish enrollment procedures; requiring

17         the commission to adopt rules; providing an

18         effective date.

19  

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

21  

22         Section 1.  Subsection (4) is added to section 364.10,

23  Florida Statutes, to read:

24         364.10  Undue advantage to person or locality

25  prohibited; Lifeline service.--

26         (4)  In order to promote and enroll as many customers

27  as possible who are eligible to participate in the Lifeline

28  and Link-Up Assistance Program, the commission shall:

29         (a)  Establish eligibility criteria consistent with the

30  criteria established by the Federal Communications Commission

31  and any Florida-specific criteria developed by the commission.

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                                  SB 1320
    579-912B-05




 1  All eligibility criteria adopted must further the purpose of

 2  the Lifeline and Link-Up Assistance Program.

 3         (b)  Review annually the promotional efforts of all

 4  telecommunications companies offering Lifeline and Link-Up

 5  Assistance and include the results of that review in the

 6  annual report required by paragraph (3)(e). Based upon the

 7  review, the commission may direct the participating

 8  telecommunications companies to increase promotional programs

 9  and related spending.

10         (c)  Establish enrollment procedures for customers who

11  have qualified for Lifeline Assistance.

12         (d)  Establish procedures to ensure timely credits for

13  customers who have qualified for Lifeline Assistance.

14         (e)  Adopt rules to administer this subsection.

15         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

16  

17            *****************************************

18                          SENATE SUMMARY

19    Requires the Public Service Commission to increase
      enrollment of customers in the Lifeline and Link-Up
20    Assistance Program. Directs the commission to establish
      eligibility criteria for the program. Requires the
21    commission to review the current promotional efforts of
      the telecommunications companies participating in the
22    program. Authorizes the commission to direct the
      participating telecommunications companies to increase
23    their promotional programs and related spending. Requires
      the commission to establish enrollment procedures.
24    Requires that the commission adopt rules.

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