| 1 | 1 | | By: Carona S.B. No. 985 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (In the Senate - Filed February 28, 2011; March 8, 2011, |
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| 3 | 3 | | read first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce; |
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| 4 | 4 | | March 31, 2011, reported adversely, with favorable Committee |
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| 5 | 5 | | Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; March 31, 2011, |
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| 6 | 6 | | sent to printer.) |
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| 7 | 7 | | COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 985 By: Carona |
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| 8 | 8 | | |
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| 9 | 9 | | |
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| 10 | 10 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 11 | 11 | | AN ACT |
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| 12 | 12 | | relating to the regulation of Voice over Internet Protocol service. |
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| 13 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Section 51.002, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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| 15 | 15 | | adding Subdivisions (3-a) and (13) to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (3-a) "Internet Protocol enabled service" means a |
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| 17 | 17 | | service, capability, functionality, or application that uses |
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| 18 | 18 | | Internet Protocol or a successor protocol to allow an end user to |
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| 19 | 19 | | send or receive a data, video, or voice communication in Internet |
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| 20 | 20 | | Protocol or a successor protocol. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (13) "Voice over Internet Protocol service" means a |
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| 22 | 22 | | service that: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (A) uses Internet Protocol or a successor |
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| 24 | 24 | | protocol to enable a real-time, two-way voice communication that |
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| 25 | 25 | | originates from or terminates to the user's location in Internet |
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| 26 | 26 | | Protocol or a successor protocol; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (B) requires a broadband connection from the |
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| 28 | 28 | | user's location; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (C) permits a user generally to receive a call |
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| 30 | 30 | | that originates on the public switched telephone network and to |
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| 31 | 31 | | terminate a call to the public switched telephone network. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. Section 52.002, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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| 33 | 33 | | adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (c) The commission may not require a telecommunications |
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| 35 | 35 | | utility that is not a public utility, including a deregulated or |
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| 36 | 36 | | transitioning company, to comply with a requirement or standard |
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| 37 | 37 | | that is more burdensome than a requirement or standard the |
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| 38 | 38 | | commission imposes on a public utility. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (d) Notwithstanding any other law, a department, agency, or |
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| 40 | 40 | | political subdivision of this state may not by rule, order, or other |
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| 41 | 41 | | means directly or indirectly regulate rates charged for, service or |
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| 42 | 42 | | contract terms for, conditions for, or requirements for entry into |
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| 43 | 43 | | the market for Voice over Internet Protocol services or other |
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| 44 | 44 | | Internet Protocol enabled services. This subsection does not: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) affect requirements pertaining to use of a |
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| 46 | 46 | | right-of-way or payment of right-of-way fees applicable to Voice |
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| 47 | 47 | | over Internet Protocol services under Chapter 283, Local Government |
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| 48 | 48 | | Code; |
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| 49 | 49 | | (2) affect any person's obligation to provide video or |
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| 50 | 50 | | cable service, as defined under applicable state or federal law; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (3) require or prohibit assessment of enhanced 9-1-1, |
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| 52 | 52 | | relay access service, or universal service fund fees on Voice over |
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| 53 | 53 | | Internet Protocol service; |
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| 54 | 54 | | (4) affect any entity's obligations under Sections 251 |
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| 55 | 55 | | and 252, Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. Sections 251 and |
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| 56 | 56 | | 252), or a right granted to an entity by those sections; |
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| 57 | 57 | | (5) affect any applicable wholesale tariff; |
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| 58 | 58 | | (6) grant, modify, or affect the authority of the |
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| 59 | 59 | | commission to implement, carry out, or enforce the rights or |
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| 60 | 60 | | obligations provided by Sections 251 and 252, Communications Act of |
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| 61 | 61 | | 1934 (47 U.S.C. Sections 251 and 252), or of an applicable wholesale |
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| 62 | 62 | | tariff through arbitration proceedings or other available |
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| 63 | 63 | | mechanisms and procedures; |
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| 64 | 64 | | (7) require or prohibit payment of switched network |
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| 65 | 65 | | access rates or other intercarrier compensation rates, as |
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| 66 | 66 | | applicable; |
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| 67 | 67 | | (8) limit any commission authority over the subjects |
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| 68 | 68 | | listed in Subdivisions (1)-(7) or grant the commission any |
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| 69 | 69 | | authority over those subjects; or |
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| 70 | 70 | | (9) affect the assessment or collection of a tax or fee |
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| 71 | 71 | | over which the comptroller has authority. |
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| 72 | 72 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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| 73 | 73 | | * * * * * |
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