HBA-KDB H.B. 3435 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3435
By: Merritt
State Affairs
4/11/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) is authorized to
order one or more local exchange companies that are dominant carriers to
provide mandatory extended area telecommunication service in a metropolitan
area.  However, smaller exchanges, such as the town of Kilgore,  do not
receive mandatory extended area service because the PUC does not currently
have the authority to order local exchange companies to provide such a
service.  House Bill 3435 authorizes the PUC to order mandatory extended
area telecommunication service in specific exchanges that have more than
10,000 but fewer than 20,000 access lines. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3435 amends the Utilities Code to authorize the Public Utility
Commission (PUC) to order mandatory extended area service in specific
changes if the PUC receives a signed petition or resolution, there is a
sufficient interest between the petitioners and requested exchanges, the
incumbent local exchange company can reasonably provide the service, and
the proposed calling area has a single, continuous boundary and includes
not more than four exchanges.  The bill specifies requirements for the
petition or resolution.  These provisions apply only to an exchange that
has more than 10,000 access lines but fewer than 20,000 access lines. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.