Florida Senate - 2007                        SENATOR AMENDMENT
    Bill No. CS/CS/HB 529 (c2)
                        Barcode 221410
                            CHAMBER ACTION
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       04/27/2007 05:03 PM         .                    
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11  Senators Siplin, Hill, Dawson, Lawson, and Bullard moved the
12  following amendment:
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14         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 
15         Between lines 1157 and 1158,
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17  insert:  
18         Section 12.  Basic cable service credits.--
19         (1)  As used in this section, the term:
20         (a)  "Basic cable service" means the same as in 47
21  U.S.C. s. 522(3).
22         (b)  "Cable service provider" means the same as in s.
23  610.103(3), Florida Statutes.
24         (c)  "Video service provider" means the same as in s.
25  610.103(12), Florida Statutes.
26         (2)(a)  Effective September 1, 2008, every cable
27  service provider and every video service provider must provide
28  to a customer or a potential customer who meets the
29  eligibility criteria for participation in one or more benefit
30  programs described in subsection (3) or who satisfies an
31  income eligibility test of 135 percent or less of the federal
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    10:12 AM   04/27/07                            h0529c3c-19-3ae

Florida Senate - 2007 SENATOR AMENDMENT Bill No. CS/CS/HB 529 (c2) Barcode 221410 1 poverty income guidelines, a credit of up to $13.50 each month 2 for receipt of basic cable service. The Office of Public 3 Counsel shall certify and maintain claims submitted by a 4 customer for eligibility under the income test authorized by 5 this subsection. 6 (b) Each cable service provider and video service 7 provider subject to this subsection shall provide to each 8 state and federal agency providing benefits to persons who are 9 eligible for basic cable service applications, brochures, 10 pamphlets, or other materials that inform the persons of their 11 eligibility for basic cable service and each state agency 12 providing the benefits shall furnish the materials to affected 13 persons at the time they apply for benefits. 14 (c) Each cable service provider and video service 15 provider customer receiving basic cable service benefits are 16 not subject to any residential basic cable service rate 17 increase otherwise authorized by law. 18 (d) By December 31, 2008, each state agency that 19 provides benefits to persons eligible for basic cable service 20 shall undertake, in cooperation with the Department of 21 Children and Family Services, the Department of Education, the 22 Office of Public Counsel, and each cable service provider and 23 video service provider basic cable services, the development 24 of procedures to promote Lifeline participation. 25 (3) A person is eligible for basic cable services if 26 he or she qualifies for and receives benefits from: 27 (a) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF); 28 (b) Supplemental Security Income (SSI); 29 (c) Food stamps; 30 (d) Medicaid; 31 (e) Federal public housing or subsidized housing 2 10:12 AM 04/27/07 h0529c3c-19-3ae
Florida Senate - 2007 SENATOR AMENDMENT Bill No. CS/CS/HB 529 (c2) Barcode 221410 1 assistance; 2 (f) The low-income home energy assistance program 3 (LIHEAP); 4 (g) The national school lunch program's free lunch 5 program; or 6 (h) Bureau of Indian Affairs programs. 7 8 (Redesignate subsequent sections.) 9 10 11 ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T =============== 12 And the title is amended as follows: 13 On line 112, after the semicolon, 14 15 insert: 16 creating basic cable service credits; providing 17 definitions; requiring every cable service 18 provider and every video service provider to 19 provide to each customer who meets the 20 eligibility criteria a specified credit for 21 each month for receipt of basic cable service; 22 requiring cable service providers and video 23 service providers to provide each state and 24 federal agency providing benefits to persons 25 eligible for basic cable service applications, 26 brochures, pamphlets, or other materials that 27 inform the persons of their eligibility for 28 basic cable service; prohibiting rate 29 increases; 30 31 3 10:12 AM 04/27/07 h0529c3c-19-3ae