| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to the period of eligibility for support from the |
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| 8 | 6 | | universal service plan for certain providers. |
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| 9 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 56.023(p), Utilities Code, is amended to |
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| 11 | 9 | | read as follows: |
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| 12 | 10 | | (p) If an incumbent local exchange company or cooperative is |
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| 13 | 11 | | ineligible for support under a plan established under Section |
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| 14 | 12 | | 56.021(1) for services in an exchange, a plan established under |
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| 15 | 13 | | Section 56.021(1) may not provide support to any other |
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| 16 | 14 | | telecommunications providers for services in that exchange, except |
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| 17 | 15 | | that an eligible telecommunications provider that is receiving |
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| 18 | 16 | | support under Section 56.021(1)(A) in that exchange shall continue |
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| 19 | 17 | | to receive such support until the later of December 31, 2017, or the |
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| 20 | 18 | | second anniversary of [for a 24-month period following] the date |
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| 21 | 19 | | the incumbent local exchange provider or cooperative ceases |
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| 22 | 20 | | receiving support in that exchange. The support received by the |
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| 23 | 21 | | eligible telecommunications provider during that [the 24-month] |
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| 24 | 22 | | period shall be at the same monthly per line support level in effect |
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| 25 | 23 | | for that exchange as of the date the incumbent local exchange |
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| 26 | 24 | | provider or cooperative ceases receiving funding in that exchange. |
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| 27 | 25 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 28 | 26 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 29 | 27 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 30 | 28 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 31 | 29 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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| 30 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 31 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 32 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 804 passed the Senate on |
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| 33 | + | April 1, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2. |
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| 34 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 35 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 36 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 804 passed the House on |
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| 37 | + | May 1, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 99, Nays 35, two present |
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| 38 | + | not voting. |
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| 39 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 40 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 41 | + | Approved: |
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| 42 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 43 | + | Date |
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| 44 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | + | Governor |
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