HB3713 - Relating of maintenance of rates and expansion of funds for certain companies.

      By: Capriglione, Anchía H.B. No. 3713       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating of maintenance of rates and expansion of funds for certain   companies.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Utilities Code, is   amended to read as follows:          Sec. 56.025 MAINTENANCE OF RATES AND EXPANSION OF FUND FOR   CERTAIN COMPANIES.  (a)  In addition to the authority provided by   Section 56.021:                (1)  for each local exchange company that serves fewer   than 31,000 access lines and each cooperative, the commission may   adopt a mechanism necessary to maintain reasonable rates for local   exchange telephone service; and                (2)  for each local exchange and each cooperative that   serves 31,000 or fewer access lines and that on June 1, 2013, is not   an electing company under Chapter 58 or 59, the commission shall   adopt rules to expand the universal service fund in the   circumstances prescribed by this section.          (b)  The commission shall implement a mechanism through the   universal service fund to replace the reasonably projected   reduction in high cost assistance revenue caused by a commission   order, rule, or policy. This subsection does not apply to an order   entered in a proceeding related to an individual company’s revenue   requirements.          [ (c)     The commission shall implement a mechanism to replace   the reasonably projected change in revenue caused by a Federal   Communications Commission order, rule, or policy that changes:                 (1)     the federal universal service fund revenue of a   local exchange company; or                 (2)     costs or revenue assigned to the intrastate   jurisdiction. ]           (c)  [ (d) ]  The commission shall implement a mechanism to   replace the reasonably projected reduction in contribution caused   by a change of commission policy regarding intraLATA “1-plus”   dialing access. In this subsection, “contribution” means the   average intraLATA long distance message telecommunications service   revenue per minute, including intraLATA toll pooling and associated   impacts, less the average message telecommunications service cost   per minute less the average contribution from switched access   multiplied by the projected change in intraLATA “1-plus”minutes.           (d)  [ (e) ]  The commission shall implement a mechanism to   replace the reasonably projected increase in costs or decrease in   revenue of the intrastate jurisdiction caused by another   governmental agency’s order, rule, or policy.           (e)  [ (f) ]  A mechanism implemented under Subsection (c),   (d)[ , or (e) ] must be through:                (1)  an increase in rates, if the increase would not   adversely affect universal service; or                (2)  the universal service fund.           (f)  [ (g) ]  Not withstanding any other provision of this   section, after December 31, 2013, the commission may not distribute   support granted under this section, including any support granted   before that date, to a local exchange company or cooperative that   serves greater than 31,000 access lines or that is an electing   company under Chapter 58 or 59 on June 1, 2013.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.