Source: https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/bills_127th/billtexts/HP030502.asp
Timestamp: 2020-07-12 22:23:49
Document Index: 469056208

Matched Legal Cases: ['§7102', '§6', '§7221', '§4', '§7222', '§ 7222', '§7225', '§ 7225']

HP0305, LD 466, item 2, Document Text
LD 466 Session - 127th Maine Legislature
C "A", Filing Number H-655, Sponsored by
LR 1389
‘Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §7102, sub-§6-A is enacted to read:
2. General availability. The commission shall seek to ensure that provider of last resort service is available at reasonably comparable rates to consumers throughout all areas of the State at reasonably comparable rates in which the service is available pursuant to section 7221.
Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §7221, sub-§§4 to 7 are enacted to read:
(7) Sanford.
(15) Augusta.
C. For one year from the date a price cap ILEC is relieved of the obligation to provide provider of last resort service in a municipality in accordance with this subsection, the price cap ILEC shall continue to offer to each provider of last resort service customer in that municipality to whom it was providing the service on the date the obligation ceased a telephone service with the same rates, terms and conditions as it provides to provider of last resort service customers to whom it is obligated to provide provider of last resort service.
D. Prior to the removal of the obligation to provide provider of last resort service in any municipality pursuant to this subsection, the commission shall hold a public meeting in the municipality to allow customers of the price cap ILEC to obtain information about the upcoming changes to service.
(2) The date, time and location of the public meeting required under paragraph D, which will be hosted by the commission in the municipality.
(2) The price cap ILEC prior to filing the petition has met service quality requirements under section 7225-A in the immediately preceding 2 consecutive quarters.
B. The commission shall establish by rule the sources of information and a methodology it will use to reasonably calculate the percentage of households served by wireline-facilities-based voice network service providers and mobile telecommunications services providers for purposes of making a determination under paragraph A. The commission may not require wireline-facilities-based voice network service providers and mobile telecommunications services providers to provide competitive information to the commission but may rely on other available sources for this information, including information available from the Federal Communications Commission. Competitive information about the extent of service provided by wireline-facilities-based voice network service providers and mobile telecommunications services providers used to make this determination is confidential and is not a public record under Title 1, section 402, subsection 3 and may not be disclosed to any person outside the commission. In developing the methodology under this paragraph, the commission may allow for reasonable adjustments to the information it receives if it is aware that actual availability of competitive services differs from what is reflected in the information. If the application of the commission's methodology results in a finding that the standards in paragraph A, subparagraph (1) have been met, there is a rebuttable presumption of sufficient competition in a municipality to ensure access to affordable telephone service by households in the municipality.
The commission shall hold a public hearing in each affected municipality to allow customers of the price cap ILEC as well as other residents of the affected municipality to testify. The price cap ILEC shall give advance notice of the hearing to each customer in the municipality in its monthly billing statement and publish this notice in a newspaper of general circulation in that municipality.
D. The commission shall issue an order granting or denying a petition within 180 days of receiving a petition under this subsection, except that the commission, at its discretion, may extend this period for up to an additional 30 days.
E. For one year from the date the commission issues an order granting a price cap ILEC relief from the obligation to provide provider of last resort service in a municipality, the price cap ILEC shall continue to offer to each provider of last resort service customer in that municipality to whom it was providing the service on the date of that order a telephone service with the same rates, terms and conditions as it provides to provider of last resort service customers to whom it is obligated to provide provider of last resort service.
Sec. 4. 35-A MRSA §7222-A is enacted to read:
§ 7222-A. Rates
A. On the effective date of this paragraph, the monthly charge for provider of last resort service offered by a price cap ILEC may not exceed $20 for any residential customer. A price cap ILEC may, beginning one year after the effective date of this paragraph, increase rates for its provider of last resort service by up to 5% annually; and
B. Low-income customers of a price cap ILEC must receive a monthly discount of $3.50 in addition to any applicable federal subsidy for voice service for low-income customers.
Sec. 5. 35-A MRSA §7225-A is enacted to read:
§ 7225-A. Price cap ILEC service quality requirements
B. The percentage of network troubles not cleared in 48 hours;
C. The percentage of installation appointments not met; and
D. The average delay, in days, for missed installation appointments.
A. Less than 3 network troubles per 100 customers;
B. Less than 20% of network troubles not cleared within 48 hours;
C. Less than 12% of all installation appointments not met; and
D. Less than a 9-day average delay for missed installation appointments.
Sec. 6. Rules. The Public Utilities Commission shall provisionally adopt major substantive rules, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A, to implement Title 35-A, section 7221, subsections 4 to 6 by January 1, 2017. By January 1, 2017, the commission shall also review its rules adopted pursuant to Title 35-A, section 7225 and make any necessary amendments to account for changes as a result of the enactment of Title 35-A, section 7225-A. Notwithstanding Title 35-A, section 7225, subsection 3, rules adopted pursuant to the commission's review under this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 7. Commission review of effect of relief of provider of last resort service obligation. By January 15, 2018 and again by January 15, 2020, the Public Utilities Commission shall submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters a report related to the removal of the provider of last resort service obligation for a price cap ILEC under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 7221, subsections 4 and 5. A report under this section must list municipalities in which the obligation to provide provider of last resort service has ceased pursuant to Title 35-A, section 7221, subsection 4, paragraph B or in which the commission has approved in accordance with Title 35-A, section 7221, subsection 5 the removal of a price cap ILEC's obligation to provide provider of last resort service. A report under this section must also include the effect of the removal on former provider of last resort service customers, the price cap ILEC's workforce, the maintenance and status of the copper line network, public safety and the cost, features and availability of telephone service, including service to the hearing impaired, and broadband service. Each report may include recommendations for related legislation. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters may report out a bill relating to provider of last resort service to the Second Regular Session of the 128th Legislature and may also report out a bill relating to provider of last resort service to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. At least 30 days before submitting a report to the committee, the commission shall post the report on its publicly accessible website and allow persons to submit to the commission written comments on the report. The commission shall submit to the committee with each report all comments that it received on the respective report. If the commission in either report makes a recommendation to repeal or modify Title 35-A, section 7221, subsection 5, it may not, notwithstanding that subsection, accept a petition submitted in accordance with that subsection until 90 days after the adjournment of the session to which the report is submitted.
Sec. 8. Commission legal review; report. The Public Utilities Commission shall examine all laws and rules of this State relating to provider of last resort service as they apply to a price cap ILEC, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 7102, subsection 6-A, and determine whether any changes may be needed to conform those laws and rules to the provisions of this Act. The commission shall submit a report of its findings, together with any necessary draft legislation to implement its recommendations, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters by December 15, 2016. The committee may report out a bill relating to provider of last resort service to the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature.
Sec. 9. Commission's annual report. Through 2022, the Public Utilities Commission shall include in its annual report pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 120, subsection 7 information on provider of last resort service, including in which municipalities the obligation to provide provider of last resort service has ceased pursuant to Title 35-A, section 7221, subsection 4, paragraph B; the municipalities in which the commission granted approval of a petition in accordance with Title 35-A, section 7221, subsection 5; the municipalities, if any, in which the commission approved the discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service under Title 35-A, section 7221, subsection 6; and any complaints the commission may have received regarding the costs of or a lack of access to reliable basic telephone service in municipalities from which the provider of last resort service obligation has been removed.’
This amendment is the majority report of the committee. It replaces the bill, which is a concept draft. The amendment does the following:
1. It defines the term "price cap incumbent local exchange carrier," or "price cap ILEC";
2. It provides that, 30 days after the applicable provision becomes effective, the price cap ILEC's provider of last resort service obligation will cease in Portland, Lewiston, Bangor, South Portland, Auburn, Biddeford and Sanford;
3. It provides that, every 6 months from the date the applicable provision becomes effective, the obligation of a price cap ILEC to provide provider of last resort service will be removed by issuance of a certificate by the Public Utilities Commission, in 5 of the additional 15 municipalities listed in the amendment, in order, as long as the price cap ILEC has met service quality requirements in the preceding 2 consecutive quarters;
4. It requires the price cap ILEC to continue to offer to each provider of last resort service customer to whom it was providing the service on the date the obligation to provide the service was removed a telephone service with the same rates, terms and conditions as it provides to provider of last resort service customers to whom it is obligated to provide provider of last resort service, for one year from the date the obligation was removed;
5. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to host a public meeting in each municipality affected by a proposed change in provider of last resort service to allow customers of a price cap ILEC to obtain information about the upcoming changes to service;
6. It requires that affected provider of last resort service customers be given advance notice of a change in provider of last resort service in the price cap ILEC's monthly billing statement, along with the date, time and location of a public meeting to be hosted by the Public Utilities Commission;
7. It allows, after a price cap ILEC has been relieved of its obligation to provide provider of last resort service in all the municipalities listed in the amendment, the price cap ILEC to petition the Public Utilities Commission to be relieved of its obligation in one or more additional municipalities upon a finding that, in addition to the incumbent local exchange carrier, there is at least one wireline-facilities-based voice network service provider that offers service to at least 95% of the households in the municipality and one or more mobile telecommunications services providers that on a combined basis offer mobile telecommunications services to at least 97% of the households in the municipality, and that the price cap ILEC has met service quality requirements in the preceding 2 consecutive quarters;
8. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish by rule the sources of information it will use, as well as the methodology it will employ, to make determinations on petitions;
9. It prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from requiring wireline-facilities-based voice network service providers and mobile telecommunications services providers to provide competitive information;
10. It requires a price cap ILEC to provide 90 days' advance notice of its intent to file a petition; the notice must be provided to the Public Utilities Commission, the Office of the Public Advocate and each customer in the municipality in which the price cap ILEC will be seeking relief from the provider of last resort service obligation;
11. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to hold a public hearing in each affected municipality to allow customers and residents to testify and requires that notice of the hearing be published by the price cap ILEC in a newspaper of general circulation;
12. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to make a determination on a petition within 180 days, except that the commission may at its discretion extend this period for up to an additional 30 days;
13. It prohibits a price cap ILEC from discontinuing, reducing or impairing the service that it provides in a municipality, or part of a municipality, where it has previously served as the provider of provider of last resort service, unless the Public Utilities Commission approves the discontinuance, reduction or impairment;
14. It allows the Public Utilities Commission, if it approves a discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service, to impose terms, conditions or requirements to protect the public interest;
15. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to adopt major substantive rules to implement the provisions related to the removal of provider of last resort service obligations and the abandonment process;
16. It specifies the rate a price cap ILEC may charge a provider of last resort service customer, which is not to exceed $20 for a residential customer, except that, after one year after the applicable provision becomes effective, the price cap ILEC may raise the rate by no more than 5% annually;
17. It requires that low-income customers, which are those who qualify for assistance under the Federal Communications Commission's Lifeline program, receive a monthly $3.50 discount;
18. It establishes service quality requirements that must be met by a price cap ILEC providing provider of last resort service;
19. It requires a price cap ILEC to report quarterly to the Public Utilities Commission on service quality metrics based on rolling one-year averages. The reports are confidential unless the price cap ILEC fails to meet service quality requirements for 2 consecutive quarters;
20. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to issue an order directing that service quality be addressed if the service quality requirements are not met for any 2 consecutive quarters and the failure was within the price cap ILEC's control;
21. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to impose a penalty if a price cap ILEC fails to comply with an order directing that service quality be addressed;
22. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to review its rules regarding service quality for providers of provider of last resort service and make any changes needed as a result of the enactment of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 7225-A. The rule amendments are routine technical rules; such rules if adopted pursuant to statute would be major substantive rules;
23. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy and utilities matters a report in 2018 and again in 2020 that includes a list of the municipalities in which the provider of last resort service obligation has been removed, as well as the effects of the removal on former provider of last resort service customers, the price cap ILEC's workforce, the maintenance and status of the copper line network, public safety and the cost, features and availability of telephone service, including service to the hearing impaired, and broadband service. Each report may include recommended legislation, and the committee may report out a bill for each report to the Legislature;
24. It prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from accepting a petition to remove a provider of last resort service obligation, until 90 days after the adjournment of the legislative session in which a provider of last resort service report due in 2018 or 2020 was submitted, if in its report it makes any recommendations to modify or remove the petition process;
25. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to examine all laws and rules of the State relating to provider of last resort service as they apply to a price cap ILEC and determine whether any changes may be needed to address the changes created by this amendment. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to submit a report of its findings on this process, together with any necessary draft legislation to implement its recommendations, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters by December 15, 2016. The committee may report out a bill related to provider of last resort service to the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature; and
26. It requires that as part of its annual report the Public Utilities Commission include information related to the changes in provider of last resort service.