3201 Nygren Drive NW, P.O. Box 1144, Mandan, ND 58554
Telephone: 701-663-1099 * Fax: 701-663-0707
LEGISLATIVE REPORT
| Archives | VOLUME 9,
NUMBER 3 JANUARY 26, 2001 To: Members From: David Crothers, Executive Vice President
The Association received good news this week with the defeat of HB 1214, a measure that would have required long distance companies to develop a level of “high usage” for each customer of our long distance companies and notify that consumer each time they exceeded the cap. The Association testified before the House Industry, Business and Labor Committee that adopting the language would be administratively difficult, raise telecommunications prices for all of our customers and, in some instances, be impossible to comply with. The Association received substantial input from Juli DeVier of North Dakota Long Distance, who contributed to a great degree in the preparation of the testimony and traveled to Bismarck for the committee hearing. Yesterday, the House voted 73-24 to defeat it. The Association also spent a substantial amount of time this week on Senate Concurrent Resolution 4008, which urged the Public Service Commission and Federal Communications Commission to review Qwest’s Section 271 petition as expeditiously as possible. The Association believed that the timelines contained within the resolution put undue pressure on the PSC and also felt that it unfairly portrayed the State and, by implication, the independent telephone industry as being a technological backwater. Thanks largely to the efforts of Senator Randy Christmann virtually all of the offending language was amended out of the measure. The Association would also like to recognize the efforts of Senator Jerry Klein, who serves constituents in the North Dakota Telephone Company, BEK Communications, Dakota Central Telecommunications and West River service territories, and extend our appreciation for his substantial work on behalf of the independent telephone industry. Senator Klein serves on the committee that took testimony on the resolution. As you will note in this week’s report, four new bills have been introduced this week that potentially have an impact on your customers, as well as the way your telecommunications company provides service. The bills are HB 1357, HB 1446, HB 1473 and HCR 3012. HB 1446 requires that each company providing long distance services must notify its customers at least one day in advance of any price increases or if there is any change in the terms and conditions of service. If you have questions regarding any legislative issue or other matter of concern, please contact me.
HB 1008The Public Service Commission’s appropriation bill for the biennium beginning July 1, 2001 and ending June 30, 2003. The Commission is requesting an appropriation of $9,732,463 for the two year cycle, but anticipates taking in $5,842,274 in revenue.
HB 1090 A bill introduced at the request of the Public Service Commission that clarifies the obligation of telecommunications companies to pay a filing fee when a new price schedule or tariff is submitted to the agency. New language is added to the “Exemption-Rate Regulation” section of the State code stating that telcos do not have to pay any fees when updating or introducing a new tariff.
HB 1093 A bill that makes North Dakota’s prohibition against "Slamming" and "Cramming" identical to rules passed by the Federal Communications Commission. The new language is HB 1093 merely changes dates to account for modifications made by the FCC since the North Dakota statute was adopted during the last legislative session. Slamming and Cramming statutes outlaw the unauthorized changes in telecommunications providers and services, respectively.
HB 1182 A bill introduced by the State Board of Higher Education that seeks to have services provided by colleges and universities exempted from telecommunications regulation. The University of North Dakota and North Dakota State currently are the sole telecommunications providers on their properties. They provide all telecommunications within their buildings and to students in the dormitories. Opposition to the bill is forming because the University System is increasingly mandating that private enterprise who have a presence on the campus are required to get their telecommunications service from the university. In addition, NDSU has purchased land off-campus and constructed a retail complex which will be served by the school’s telecommunications company. Association Position Papers
HB 1214 A bill that requires interexchange carriers to notify customers of unusually high long distance usage on that customer’s account. The legislation, sponsored by Representative Byron Clark (R-Fargo) and Senator Tim Flakoll (R-Fargo), requires each interexchange company to develop a policy that defines “high usage” and to notify the customer by written notice if that standard has been met. It would also require the local carrier to provide notice to the customer if the local carrier was notified by the interexchange carrier. Association Position Papers
HB 1253 A bill requiring cable operators offering internet service to open their networks to competitors for transport. The legislation requires those cable television providers to open their networks for resellers. The bill also makes those companies, including cable operators, who transport information to and from the Internet subject to the interconnection requirements found in Section 251 of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.
HB 1357 A bill to extend the State’s provision of service to the cities of North Dakota. It expands the Information Technology Department’s list of customers for wide area network services to include all of the State’s communities.
HB 1446 A bill that would require each telcom company providing intrastate long distance to a presubscribed customer to provide at least one day notice before there is any price increase or if there is a change in the terms and conditions of service.
HB 1473 A bill which requires internet service providers to display an on-screen warning if a toll charge will apply to the connection between the subscriber and internet service provider. The Association is contacting our member ISP’s, the computer industry and others to determine whether it is feasible.
HCR 3012 A resolution that asks Congress to reject any attempts to extend the Internet Tax Freedom Act. In 1998, President Clinton signed the measure that bans the imposition of any State and local tax on Internet access or electronic commerce transactions. Although there have been several bills introduced in Congress to make the moratorium on tax collections permanent, the resolution states that it will have a detrimental affect and pose grave financial risks for State and local governments as more transactions are completed over the Internet.
SB 2022 The Information Technology Department’s appropriation bill. The Department is requesting a budget of $107,021,019, but anticipates income of just over $71 million. The general fund appropriation is $35,835,932.
SB 2043 A bill revising the obligations of the Information Technology Department which clarifies their obligation to approve projects by entities under control of the State board of higher education, slightly alters the membership and renames the Statewide wide area network advisory committee, allows the Department to finance the purchase of equipment and streamlines the agency’s business reports.
SB 2067 A bill to extend the E 911 tax currently paid by wireline customers to subscribers of wireless devices. Former Governor Ed Schafer vetoed a similar bill at the conclusion of the last legislative session, but during the interim appointed a Task Force to hammer out language to extend the tax to wireless customers. The Task Force used the existing statute for the basis of extending the E 911 surcharge to wireless, but there are distinct sections in the bill for wireless and wireline, including segregated funds for compensating the providers. In the Association’s judgment a better option would be a single, unified fund with the Public Service Answering Points (PSAP’s) and counties as the focal point, but compromise on the issue was difficult to achieve. Association Position Papers
SB 2227 A bill to amend the existing North Dakota One Call statute by clarifying the liability of excavators who damage facilities. It has been described by proponents as restoring the liability language that existed prior to the adoption of the one call statute. The new language more closely resembles “strict liability” for those who fail to follow the law and, subsequently, damage facilities. Association Position Papers
SB 2410 A bill to abolish the telephone cooperative exemption and to subject all telephone companies with more than 2,500 local exchange subscribers to Public Service Commission jurisdiction. It would give the PSC the authority to originate, establish, modify, adjust, promulgate and enforce tariffs, rates, joint rates and charge of all telecommunications companies with more than 2,500 subscribers. The legislation also extends the same PSC oversight and requirements to rural electric cooperatives.
SB 2423 A bill that modifies the call-before-you-dig law in North Dakota and would allow a operator with underground facilities to not mark an area if they notify an excavator that their facilities are mapped on a geographical information system and that the excavation will not disturb their facilities. The facilities owner must also provide the excavator with the name and address of the entity with the geographical information system. The Association is somewhat concerned with the wording of this bill because the One-Call statute has no provision for direct contact between the facilities-owner and the excavator. All communications, absent emergencies, are between the two entities and the one-call center.
SB 2437 A bill that creates a statewide database that consumers may register with if they do not want telemarketing calls. The Public Service Commission would establish and operate a database of telephone numbers of residential customers who object to receiving telephone solicitations. The legislation also specifies rules for telemarketers soliciting individuals, fees for participating in the system and penalties for violating provisions of the Act.
SCR 4008 A resolution introduced at the urging of Qwest that expresses the Legislature’s support for Qwest to be allowed Section 271 relief, which would allow them to provide interLATA and interstate services. Currently, they are prohibited from carrying calls across the LATA line dividing North Dakota and from carrying calls out-of-State. Qwest says that consumer choice and the number of voice and data providers are limited in the State as evidence the resolution should be supported. The resolution further urges Qwest to submit an application for approval to the FCC by December 31, 2001. Association Position Papers
CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR TOLL-FREE: 1-888-635-3447 LOCAL TELEPHONE NUMBER: 328-3373 WEB PAGE ADDRESS: www.state.nd.us/lr/
|
Return to Top
NDATC | Association Members | Directors | Legislative Issues | Industry Calender | Association History | Links
Home | Contact Us | Site Map
