Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2667 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 2667
	1	+	By: Smithee, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Perry, et al.) H.B. No. 2667
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2021;
	3	+	May 12, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Water,
	4	+	Agriculture & Rural Affairs; May 19, 2021, reported adversely,
	5	+	with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9,
	6	+	Nays 0; May 19, 2021, sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2667 By: Perry
2	9
3	10
	11	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	12		AN ACT
5	13		relating to universal service fund assistance to high cost rural
6	14		areas and the uniform charge that funds the universal service fund.
7	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	16		SECTION 1. Section 56.001, Utilities Code, is amended by
9	17		adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
10	18		(3) "High cost rural area" means:
11	19		(A) an area:
12	20		(i) receiving support under Section
13	21		56.021(1) on December 31, 2020; and
14	22		(ii) served by a telecommunications
15	23		provider that is subject to rate regulation under Chapter 53; and
16	24		(B) any other exchange:
17	25		(i) receiving support under the Texas High
18	26		Cost Universal Service Plan (16 T.A.C. Section 26.403) or the Small
19	27		and Rural Incumbent Local Exchange Company Universal Service Plan
20	28		(16 T.A.C. Section 26.404); and
21	29		(ii) not excluded by commission rule based
22	30		on the number of telecommunications providers serving the exchange,
23	31		the population density in the exchange, and the number of customers
24	32		served per route mile of plant in service used to provide basic
25	33		local telecommunications service.
26	34		SECTION 2. Section 56.022, Utilities Code, is amended to
27	35		read as follows:
28	36		Sec. 56.022. UNIFORM CHARGE. (a) The universal service
29	37		fund is funded by a statewide uniform charge payable by each
30	38		telecommunications provider and each provider of Voice over
31	39		Internet Protocol service that has access to the customer base.
32	40		(b) A telecommunications provider or provider of Voice over
33	41		Internet Protocol service shall pay the charge in accordance with
34	42		procedures approved by the commission.
35	43		(c) The uniform charge is on services and at rates the
36	44		commission determines. In establishing the charge and the services
37	45		to which the charge will apply, the commission may not:
38	46		(1) grant an unreasonable preference or advantage to a
39	47		telecommunications provider or a provider of Voice over Internet
40	48		Protocol service;
41	49		(2) assess the charge on pay telephone service; [or]
42	50		(3) subject a telecommunications provider or a
43	51		provider of Voice over Internet Protocol service to unreasonable
44	52		prejudice or disadvantage; or
45	53		(4) assess the charge in a manner that is not
46	54		technology-neutral or that grants an unreasonable preference based
47	55		on technology.
48	56		SECTION 3. Sections 56.024(a) and (b), Utilities Code, are
49	57		amended to read as follows:
50	58		(a) The commission may require a telecommunications
51	59		provider or a provider of Voice over Internet Protocol service to
52	60		provide a report or information necessary to assess contributions
53	61		and disbursements to the universal service fund.
54	62		(b) A report or information the commission requires a
55	63		telecommunications provider or a provider of Voice over Internet
56	64		Protocol service to provide under Subsection (a) is confidential
57	65		and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.
58	66		SECTION 4. Not later than December 31, 2021, the Public
59	67		Utility Commission of Texas shall initiate the rulemaking to adopt
60	68		the rules required by Section 56.001, Utilities Code, as amended by
61	69		this Act.
62	70		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
63	71		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
64	72		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
65	73		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
66	74		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
67		-	______________________________ ______________________________
68		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
69		-	I certify that H.B. No. 2667 was passed by the House on May 4,
70		-	2021, by the following vote: Yeas 127, Nays 21, 1 present, not
71		-	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
72		-	No. 2667 on May 28, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 129, Nays 18,
73		-	1 present, not voting.
74		-	______________________________
75		-	Chief Clerk of the House
76		-	I certify that H.B. No. 2667 was passed by the Senate, with
77		-	amendments, on May 25, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
78		-	0.
79		-	______________________________
80		-	Secretary of the Senate
81		-	APPROVED: __________________
82		-	Date
83		-	__________________
84		-	Governor
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