Missouri 2022 Regular Session

Missouri House Bill HB2514 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	SECONDREGULARSESSION
2	2	HOUSEBILLNO.2514
3	3	101STGENERALASSEMBLY
4	4	INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVERIGGS.
5	5	5307H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
6	6	ANACT
7	7	Torepealsection392.248,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtothe
8	8	universalserviceboard.
9	9	BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
10	10	SectionA.Section392.248,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
11	11	2thereof,tobeknownassection392.248,toreadasfollows:
12	12	392.248.1.Inordertoensurejust,reasonable,andaffordableratesforreasonably
13	13	2comparableessentiallocaltelecommunicationsservicesthroughoutthestate,thereishereby
14	14	3establishedthe"UniversalServiceBoard"whichshallconsistofthemembersofthepublic
15	15	4servicecommissionandthepubliccounsel,andwhichshallbeincorporatedasanot-for-
16	16	5profit,publicbenefitcorporationinthemannerprovidedpursuanttochapter355,exceptas
17	17	6otherwiseprovidedinthissection.Consistentwithrulesadoptedbythecommission,the
18	18	7universalserviceboardshallcreateauniversalservicefund.Theuniversalserviceboard
19	19	8shallsupervisethemanagementoftheuniversalservicefund.Fundsdepositedinthe
20	20	9universalservicefundarenotstatefunds.Thecommissionshalladoptrulesgoverningthe
21	21	10operationsofthestateuniversalservicefundwithinthreemonthsoftheadoptionoftherules
22	22	11adoptedbytheFederalCommunicationCommissionforthefederalUniversalServiceFund.
23	23	12Nothingintherulesadoptedbythecommissionshallbeinconsistentwiththesupport
24	24	13mechanismsestablishedforthefederalUniversalServiceFund,butthecommissionmay
25	25	14adoptanyadditionaldefinitionsandstandardsitbelievesarenecessarytopreserveand
26	26	15advanceuniversalserviceinthestateofMissouri.Thecommissionshalladoptrules
27	27	16governingtheoperationsoftheuniversalservicefundandtheoperationoftheuniversal
28	28	17serviceboard.Meetingsoftheuniversalserviceboardshallbeopenmeetingspursuantto
29	29	EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
30	30	intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18chapter610.Theuniversalserviceboardshallalsoretainanindependentneutralfund
31	31	19administratorwhowillberesponsiblefortheday-to-dayoperationsoftheuniversalservice
32	32	20fund.Thefundadministratorshallbeafiduciarywithtrustcompanypowers.Theuniversal
33	33	21serviceboardshallprovideforperiodicreviewofthefundadministratorandtheopportunity
34	34	22forselectionofanalternatefundadministratornolessfrequentlythaneveryfouryears.The
35	35	23agency,individual,firm,partnership,orcorporationthatisselectedbythecommissionasthe
36	36	24neutraladministratoroftheuniversalservicefundmayneithercontributetonorreceive
37	37	25disbursementsfromtheuniversalservicefund,exceptasprovidedinsubsection2ofthis
38	38	26section.Theadministratormaynothaveanyfinancialinterestinatelecommunications
39	39	27company,asdefinedinsection386.020.Thecommissionshallcausethebooksandrecords
40	40	28oftheuniversalservicefundadministratortobeindependentlyauditedonanannualbasis.
41	41	29Theindependentauditshallbepaidforfromfundsheldintheuniversalservicefund.
42	42	30 2.Thecommissionshalladoptandenforcerulestobeimplementedbytheuniversal
43	43	31serviceboard,governingthesystemoffundinganddisbursingfundsfromtheuniversal
44	44	32servicefundinamannerthatdoesnotgrantapreferenceorcompetitiveadvantagetoany
45	45	33telecommunicationscompanyorsubjectatelecommunicationscompanytoprejudiceor
46	46	34disadvantage.Fundsfromtheuniversalservicefundshallonlybeused:
47	47	35 (1)Toensuretheprovisionofreasonablycomparableessentiallocal
48	48	36telecommunicationsservice,asthatdefinitionmaybeupdatedbythecommissionbyrule,
49	49	37throughoutthestateincludinghigh-costareas,atjust,reasonableandaffordablerates;
50	50	38 (2)Toassistlow-incomecustomersanddisabledcustomersinobtainingaffordable
51	51	39essentialtelecommunicationsservicesorbroadbandinternetaccessservice.Forthe
52	52	40purposesofthissection,"broadbandinternetaccessservice"isdefinedasaretail
53	53	41servicethatenablesuserstoconnecttotheinternettoaccesscontent,information,or
54	54	42otherservicesatspeedsofatleasttwenty-fivemegabitsperseconddownloadandthree
55	55	43megabitspersecondupload; and
56	56	44 (3)Topaythereasonable,auditedcostsofadministeringtheuniversalservicefund.
57	57	45 3.Theuniversalservicefundshallbefundedthroughassessmentsonall
58	58	46telecommunicationscompaniesinthestatewhichshallbebasedonMissourijurisdictional
59	59	47telecommunicationsservicesrevenueandothernondiscriminatoryfactorsasdeterminedby
60	60	48thecommission.Suchassessmentsshallbepaidtotheuniversalserviceboard.A
61	61	49telecommunicationscompanyregulatedundersection392.245may,uponprovidingwritten
62	62	50noticetothecommission,increasethemaximumallowablepricesforanyorallofits
63	63	51telecommunicationsservicesexceptresidentialbasiclocaltelecommunicationsservices
64	64	52abovethosemaximumallowablepricesotherwiseestablishedinsection392.245byan
65	65	53amountnottoexceedtheamountrequiredtorecoverfiftypercentofitsassessmentunderthis
66	66	54section.Anyincreasesinthemaximumallowablepricesforexchangeaccessandbasiclocal
67	67	HB2514 2 55telecommunicationsservicesotherthanresidentialbasiclocaltelecommunicationsservices
68	68	56shallbecalculatedtorecoverrevenuesinthesamepercentageastherevenuesfromsuch
69	69	57servicesbeartosuchcompany'stotalrevenuesfornonbasic,exchangeaccessandbasiclocal
70	70	58otherthanresidentialtelecommunicationsservicesfortheprecedingtwelvemonths.A
71	71	59telecommunicationscompanyregulatedundersection392.245mayseektohavethe
72	72	60remainingfiftypercentofitsassessmentunderthissectionincludedinitsfunding
73	73	61requirementsunderthissection.Thecommissionshallestablishtheleveloftheuniversal
74	74	62servicefundfundingrequirementnecessarytofundthepurposessetforthinsubsection2of
75	75	63thissection.Theuniversalservicefundfundingrequirementsshallbepaidbytheuniversal
76	76	64serviceboardinaccordancewithproceduresapprovedbythecommission.A
77	77	65telecommunicationscompanythatfailstopayanassessmentthatisdueandpayable
78	78	66pursuanttothissectionmayhaveitscertificaterevokedorberequiredtopayappropriate
79	79	67penaltiesunderchapter386afternoticeandhearing.
80	80	68 4.Tofacilitateprovisionofessentiallocaltelecommunicationsservice,the
81	81	69commissionshalldeterminewhetherandtowhatextentanytelecommunicationscompany
82	82	70inthestateprovidingessentiallocaltelecommunicationsserviceinanypartofthestate,shall
83	83	71beeligibletoreceivefunding.Eligibilityshallbedeterminedasfollows:
84	84	72 (1)Atelecommunicationscompany'seligibilitytoreceivesupportforhigh-costareas
85	85	73fromtheuniversalservicefundshallbeconditionedupon:
86	86	74 (a)Thetelecommunicationscompanyofferingessentiallocaltelecommunications
87	87	75service,usingitsownfacilities,inwholeorinpart,throughoutanentirehigh-costareaand
88	88	76havingcarrieroflastresortobligationsinthathigh-costarea;and
89	89	77 (b)Thetelecommunicationscompanychargingaratenotinexcessofthatsetbythe
90	90	78commissionforessentialservicesinaparticulargeographicarea;and
91	91	79 (2)Atelecommunicationscompany'seligibilitytoreceivesupporttoassistlow-
92	92	80incomecustomersanddisabledcustomersshallbeconditionedonthecompany'sproviding
93	93	81essentiallocaltelecommunicationsservicesorbroadbandinternetaccessservice,orboth,
94	94	82tosuchcustomerspursuanttothediscountedrateestablishedbythecommissionforsuch
95	95	83customers.Distributionsfromtheuniversalservicefundshallbemadebytheuniversal
96	96	84serviceboardinaccordancewithrulesapprovedbythecommission.
97	97	85 5.Inlocalexchangeareassubjecttocompetitionforessentiallocal
98	98	86telecommunicationsservice,theincumbentlocalexchangetelecommunicationscompany
99	99	87shallbedesignatedasacarrieroflastresortforessentiallocaltelecommunicationsservice.
100	100	88Thecommissionmay,consistentwithsection214(e)(2)ofthefederalTelecommunications
101	101	89Actof1996,afternoticeandhearing,designateoneormoreadditionalcarriersoflastresort
102	102	90foranyexchangeorotherareadesignatedbythecommissionuponafindingthatsuch
103	103	91designationisinthepublicinterest.Inexchangeswherethecommissionhasdesignatedmore
104	104	HB2514 3 92thanonecarrieroflastresort,thecommissionmaypermitalocalexchange
105	105	93telecommunicationscompanytorelinquishsuchobligation,consistentwithsection214(e)
106	106	94(4)ofthefederalTelecommunicationsActof1996,uponafindingthatatleastonecarrierof
107	107	95lastresortwillcontinuetoservethatarea.Inlocalexchangeareasnotsubjecttocompetition
108	108	96foressentiallocaltelecommunicationsservice,theincumbentlocalexchange
109	109	97telecommunicationscompanyshallcontinuetoactasthecarrieroflastresort.
110	110	98 6.Indeterminingwhether,andtowhatextent,universalservicefundfundingis
111	111	99requiredtofacilitateprovisionofessentiallocaltelecommunicationsservice,thecommission
112	112	100shall:
113	113	101 (1)Determinethedefinitionofessentiallocaltelecommunicationsservicenolater
114	114	102thanthreemonthsaftertheadoptionoftheessentiallocalexchangetelecommunications
115	115	103servicedefinitionforthefederalUniversalServiceFund,andconsiderrevisionofthe
116	116	104definitiononaperiodicbasisnottoexceedeverythreeyearsthereafter,withthegoalthat
117	117	105everycitizenofthisstateshallhaveaccesstoawiderrangeofservices,thatarereasonably
118	118	106comparablebetweenurbanandruralareas,atratesthatarereasonablycomparablebetween
119	119	107urbanandruralareas;
120	120	108 (2)Uponrequestfromaneligibletelecommunicationscompanyforassistancefrom
121	121	109theuniversalservicefundforahigh-costarea,determineifthehigh-costareaqualifiesfor
122	122	110assistancefromtheuniversalservicefund.Thecommissionshallreviewitsdetermination
123	123	111thatahigh-costareaqualifiesforassistancefromtheuniversalservicefundnolessfrequently
124	124	112thanonceeveryfiveyears;
125	125	113 (3)Determineforeachrequesting,eligiblelocalexchangetelecommunications
126	126	114company,byhigh-costarea,thecostsofprovidingessentiallocaltelecommunications
127	127	115servicesinthosehigh-costareasandestablishsupportpaymentsnecessarytosuchcompanies
128	128	116toensurejust,reasonableandaffordableratesforessentialtelecommunicationsservice.The
129	129	117commissionshallreviewsuchsupportpaymentsnolessfrequentlythanonceeveryfive
130	130	118years;provided,however,thatifthecommissionadoptsadifferentdefinitionofessential
131	131	119localtelecommunicationsservice,pursuanttosubdivision(1)ofthissubsection,thenthe
132	132	120commissionshallreviewandadjustaccordinglythepreviouslyauthorizedsupportpayments
133	133	121inordertoensurejust,reasonableandaffordableratesforessentialtelecommunications
134	134	122service,asrevisedbycommissionrule.Indeterminingandreviewingsuchsupportpayments,
135	135	123thecommissionshallensurethatnotelecommunicationscompanyreceivesmoreorless
136	136	124supportthannecessarytofurtherthepurposesestablishedinsubsection2ofthissection;
137	137	125 (4)Establishastandardtodeterminewhetherandtowhatextentparticularend-user
138	138	126customers,withoutregardtolocationwithinthestate,maybeeligibleforassistanceinpaying
139	139	127foressentiallocaltelecommunicationsserviceorbroadbandinternetaccessservice.
140	140	HB2514 4 128 7.Thecommissionshallarrangeforthetimeandplacefortheinitialorganizational
141	141	129meetingoftheuniversalserviceboard.
142	142	130 8.Theuniversalserviceboardshallsubmittothecommissionaplanofoperation.
143	143	131Afternoticeandhearing,thecommissionshallapprovetheplanofoperation,providedthatit
144	144	132doesnotgrantapreferenceorcompetitiveadvantagetoanytelecommunicationscompanyor
145	145	133subjectatelecommunicationscompanytoprejudiceordisadvantage.Initsplan,theuniversal
146	146	134serviceboardshallestablishproceduresforthehandlingandaccountingofassetsand
147	147	135establishproceduresforthecollectionofassessmentsfromalltelecommunicationscompanies
148	148	136toprovideforuniversalservicepaymentsandforadministrativeexpenses.
149	149	137 9.Theuniversalserviceboardshallhaveauthorityto:
150	150	138 (1)Enterintocontractsasarenecessaryorpropertocarryouttheprovisionsofthis
151	151	139section;and
152	152	140 (2)Sueorbesued,includingtakinganylegalactionsnecessaryorproperfor
153	153	141recoveryofanyassessments.
154	154	142 10.Nomemberoftheuniversalserviceboardshallbecivillyliable,eitherjointlyor
155	155	143separately,asaresultofanyact,omissionordecisioninperformanceofthemember'sduties
156	156	144asspecificallyrequiredbythissection.Suchimmunityshallnotattachforanyintentionalor
157	157	145recklessactaffectingthepropertyorrightsofanyperson.
158	158	146 11.Nothinginthissectionshallrequirethecommission,theuniversalserviceboard,
159	159	147theuniversalservicefundadministrator,oranyotherpersonoragencytotakeanyactionsthat
160	160	148areinconsistentwithfederalstatutes,administrativerules,orcourtdecisionsconcerning
161	161	149provisionofessentiallocaltelecommunicationsservice.
162	162	150 12.Thecommissionandtheuniversalserviceboardmaydoallthingsnecessaryand
163	163	151convenienttoimplementandadministertheuniversalservicefund.
164	164	152 13.IntheeventofaFederalCommunicationsCommissionorder,ruleorpolicy
165	165	153announcednolaterthanDecember31,1997,pursuanttosection254(a)(2)ofthefederal
166	166	154TelecommunicationsActof1996,theeffectofwhichistochangethefederalUniversal
167	167	155ServiceFundrevenuesofanincumbentlocalexchangetelecommunicationscompany,the
168	168	156commissionshalleitherincreasethemaximumallowablepricesforbasiclocal
169	169	157telecommunicationsserviceorincreasethecompany'srecoveryfromthestateuniversal
170	170	158servicefundoracombinationthereoftoreplacethereasonablyprojectedchangeinrevenues.
171	171	159Thecommissionshallreviewthecontinuingneedforsuchrevenuesinitsperiodicreviews
172	172	160pursuanttosubdivision(3)ofsubsection6ofthissection.
173	173	✔
174	174	HB2514 5