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92_HB3105eng
HB3105 Engrossed LRB9208294JSpc
1 AN ACT concerning telecommunications.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by
5 changing Section 13-301.1 as follows:
6 (220 ILCS 5/13-301.1) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-301.1)
7 Sec. 13-301.1. Universal Telephone Service Assistance
8 Program.
9 (a) The Commission shall by rule or regulation establish
10 a Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program for low
11 income residential customers. The program shall provide for a
12 reduction of access line charges, a reduction of connection
13 charges, or any other alternative to increase accessibility
14 to telephone service that the Commission deems advisable
15 subject to the availability of funds for the program as
16 provided in subsection (d)(b). The Commission shall
17 establish eligibility requirements for benefits under the
18 program.
19 (b) The Commission shall adopt rules providing for
20 enhanced enrollment for eligible consumers to receive
21 lifeline service. Enhanced enrollment may include, but is
22 not limited to, joint marketing, joint application, or joint
23 processing with the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
24 Program, the Medicaid program, or the Food Stamp program.
25 The Department of Human Services, the Department of Public
26 Aid, and the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs,
27 upon request of the Commission, shall assist in the adoption
28 and implementation of those rules. The Commission and the
29 Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Aid,
30 and the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs may
31 enter into memoranda of understanding establishing the
HB3105 Engrossed -2- LRB9208294JSpc
1 respective duties of the Commission and the Departments in
2 relation to enhanced enrollment.
3 (c) In this Section, "lifeline service" means a retail
4 local service offering described by 47 C.F.R. Section
5 54.401(a), as amended.
6 (d) (b) The Commission shall require by rule or
7 regulation that each telecommunications carrier providing
8 local exchange telecommunications services notify its
9 customers that if the customer wishes to participate in the
10 funding of the Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program
11 he may do so by electing to contribute, on a monthly basis, a
12 fixed amount that will be included in the customer's monthly
13 bill. The customer may cease contributing at any time upon
14 providing notice to the telecommunications carrier providing
15 local exchange telecommunications services. The notice shall
16 state that any contribution made will not reduce the
17 customer's bill for telecommunications services. Failure to
18 remit the amount of increased payment will reduce the
19 contribution accordingly. The Commission shall specify the
20 monthly fixed amount or amounts that customers wishing to
21 contribute to the funding of the Universal Telephone Service
22 Assistance Program may choose from in making their
23 contributions. Every telecommunications carrier providing
24 local exchange telecommunications services shall remit the
25 amounts contributed in accordance with the terms of the
26 Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program.
27 (Source: P.A. 87-750; 90-372, eff. 7-1-98.)
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