Preserving Home and Office Numbers in Emergencies Act of 2018

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for a moratorium on number reassignment after a disaster declaration, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preserving Home and Office Numbers in Emergencies Act of 2018 2. Moratorium on number reassignment after disaster declaration (a) In general Section 251(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 251(e) (4) Moratorium on number reassignment after disaster declaration (A) In general During a covered period with respect to an area, a number assigned in such area may not be reassigned, and the assignment of such number may not be rescinded or otherwise modified, except at the request of the subscriber to which such number is assigned. (B) Extension at request of subscriber At the request of the subscriber, the prohibition in subparagraph (A) shall be extended with respect to the number assigned to such subscriber for 2 years beyond the end of the covered period. (C) Subscriber right to cancel and resubscribe (i) In general In the case of a number that is assigned to a subscriber for the provision of wireline voice service at a residence that is located in an area that is in a covered period (or in the case of such a number with respect to which the subscriber requests an extension under subparagraph (B)), if the major disaster involved results in covered damage to such residence— (I) the provider of such service may not charge the subscriber any early termination or other fee in connection with the cancellation of such service; and (II) if the subscriber cancels such service, such provider (or any other provider of wireline voice service that serves the location involved)— (aa) shall permit the subscriber to subscribe or resubscribe, as the case may be, to wireline voice service with such number at such residence or at a different residence (if such number is available in the location of such different residence); and (bb) may not charge the subscriber any connection fee or other fee relating to the initiation of such service. (ii) Timing Clause (i) shall cease to apply with respect to the number at the end of the covered period or at the end of the extended period under subparagraph (B), as the case may be. (iii) Limitation Except as provided in this subparagraph, the prohibition in subparagraph (A) and any extension of such prohibition under subparagraph (B) shall cease to apply with respect to a number when the subscriber cancels the service with respect to which the number is assigned. (D) Identification on Commission website The Commission shall publicly identify on the website of the Commission each area that is in a covered period. (E) Definitions In this paragraph: (i) Covered damage The term covered damage (I) that renders a residence inaccessible or uninhabitable, or that results in displacement from the residence; and (II) with respect to which the President determines that an individual or household is eligible for housing assistance or other needs assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5121 (ii) Covered period The term covered period (I) begins on the date of a declaration by the President of a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170 (II) ends on the date that is 1 year after the date on which such declaration expires. (iii) Wireline voice service The term wireline voice service voice service wireline voice service . (b) Effective date Paragraph (4) of section 251(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 251(e) 42 U.S.C. 5170 (c) Transitional rule Clause (iii) of subparagraph (E) of paragraph (4) of section 251(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 251(e) 47 U.S.C. 227(e)(8) Public Law 115–141

Summary: Preserving Home and Office Numbers in Emergencies Act of 2018 This bill restricts the reassignment of telephone numbers during a declared major disaster. Specifically, a number may not be reassigned except at the request of the subscriber during a period in which a major disaster has been declared. The bill also allows a subscriber to cancel service without a cancellation fee and to subscribe again with the same number with no fee if the subscriber is located in a disaster area and the disaster resulted in certain types of damage to the subscriber's residence.