One Hundred Ninth Legislature - First Session - 2025 Introducer€s Statement of Intent LB666 € Chairperson: Senator Mike Moser Committee: Transportation and Telecommunications Date of Hearing: February 11, 2025 € The following constitutes the reasons for this bill and the purposes which are sought to be accomplished thereby: LB666 makes a simple change to the Rural Communications Sustainability Act, which the Legislature passed in 2023. The change allows competitive broadband providers to request action by the Public Service Commission to transition Nebraska Universal Service Fund (NUSF‚) support from the former incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC‚) serving customers in a designated area to the competitive provider now serving those customers. Under the current Act, before the competitive provider can receive NUSF support, it must accept certain responsibilities imposed by the NUSF Act, which essentially are carrier of last resort (COLR‚) duties. Currently, the Act allows the ILEC to initiate an action to transition NUSF support and COLR duties. To date, no incumbent has initiated such action. LB666 will allow competitive providers to initiate such action. Doing so will facilitate the transition of NUSF support and ensure that customers continue to receive broadband and voice service from a competitor that has accepted COLR duties over the long term. € Principal Introducer:________________________________ Senator Tanya Storer - 1 -