Assembly Bill A3775

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3775
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 30, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. ROZIC, TITONE -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to providing for the
   identification of federal and state assistance programs which  qualify
   recipients for telephone Lifeline service

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a  new  section
 92-h to read as follows:
   §  92-H. QUALIFICATION FOR TELEPHONE LIFELINE SERVICE.  1. THE COMMIS-
 SION SHALL ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL  LAWS
 AND  REGULATIONS,  WHICH  WOULD REQUIRE THAT EVERY TELEPHONE CORPORATION
 OFFERING A RETAIL LOCAL SERVICE THAT IS DEFINED PURSUANT TO SUBPART E OF
 PART FIFTY-FOUR OF TITLE FORTY-SEVEN OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL  REGULATIONS
 AS  A  LIFELINE  SERVICE AND RECEIVING FEDERAL UNIVERSAL SERVICE SUPPORT
 PURSUANT TO SUCH SUBPART FOR SUCH SERVICE PROVIDE SUCH  SERVICE  TO  ALL
 CUSTOMERS  WHO  ARE IDENTIFIED BY SUCH COMPANY THROUGH CUSTOMER SUPPLIED
 INFORMATION OR THROUGH INFORMATION  SUPPLIED  BY  A  THIRD  PARTY  AS  A
 PARTICIPANT OR ELIGIBLE TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN:
   (A) ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FEDERAL OR STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS:
   (I) MEDICAID,
   (II) FOOD STAMPS,
   (III) SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME,
   (IV) LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE,
   (V) STATE FAMILY ASSISTANCE,
   (VI) STATE SAFETY NET ASSISTANCE,
   (VII) VETERAN'S DISABILITY PENSION,
   (VIII) VETERAN'S SURVIVING SPOUSE PENSION,
   (IX) NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM,
   (X) STATE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT, OR

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07585-01-7
              

 A. 3775                             2
 
   (XI)  CHILD  HEALTH  PLUS, AS A RECIPIENT OF FREE OR SUBSIDIZED HEALTH
 COVERAGE, OR FAMILY HEALTH PLUS; OR
   (B)  SUCH  ADDITIONAL  FEDERAL  OR STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AS MAY BE
 DESIGNATED BY THE COMMISSION AS A PROGRAM THAT WILL QUALIFY THE  PARTIC-
 IPANT FOR SUCH LIFELINE RATE.
   2.    THE  COMMISSION SHALL ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS, IN ACCORDANCE
 WITH FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS, ESTABLISHING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR
 CONSUMERS THAT ARE NOT ENROLLED IN FEDERAL OR STATE ASSISTANCE  PROGRAMS
 THAT  WOULD  QUALIFY  SUCH  CONSUMERS  FOR  SUCH  LIFELINE RATE. FOR THE
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSION  SHALL  USE  SOLELY  INCOME  OR
 OTHER  FACTORS DIRECTLY RELATED TO INCOME IN DETERMINING THE ELIGIBILITY
 CRITERIA.
   3. THE COMMISSION WILL ALSO  ESTABLISH  RULES  REQUIRING  EVERY  CABLE
 TELEVISION  COMPANY,  AS  DEFINED  IN SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWELVE OF THIS
 CHAPTER THAT PROVIDES TELEPHONE SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS  IN  NEW  YORK,  TO
 CONTRIBUTE  TO  THE  TARGETED  ASSISTANCE FUND TO HELP SUPPORT COMPANIES
 THAT CHOOSE TO OFFER LIFELINE SERVICE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.
   4. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE "TARGETED ASSISTANCE FUND"  IS  A
 FUND  CREATED  IN  PUBLIC  SERVICE  COMMISSION  CASE 06-02-1998, AND WAS
 DESIGNED BY THE COMMISSION TO FUND PROGRAMS SUCH AS LIFELINE,  EMERGENCY
 SERVICES  (E911), AND THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICE FOR THE HEAR-
 ING IMPAIRED (TRS), ON A COMPETITIVELY NEUTRAL BASIS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2018.