Texas Utilities Code
§ 55.015 — LIFELINE SERVICE
UT § 55.015Title 2. PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATORY ACT · Part C. TELECOMMUNICATIONS UTILITIES · Ch. 55. REGULATION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES · Art. A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Statute text
View on source(a)The commission shall adopt rules prohibiting a certificated provider of local exchange telephone service from discontinuing basic network services listed in Section 58.051 to a consumer who receives lifeline service because of nonpayment by the consumer of charges for other services billed by the provider, including interexchange telecommunications service.
(b)The commission shall adopt rules providing for automatic enrollment to receive lifeline service for eligible consumers. The Health and Human Services Commission, on request of the commission, shall assist in the adoption and implementation of those rules. The commission and the Health and Human Services Commission shall enter into a memorandum of understanding establishing the respective duties of those agencies in relation to the automatic enrollment. (b-1) The commission shall adopt rules requiring certificated providers of local exchange telephone service to implement procedures to ensure that all consumers are clearly informed both orally and in writing of the existence of the lifeline service program when they request or initiate service or change service locations or providers. On or before June 1, 2006, the commission shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Health and Human Services Commission, and, to the maximum extent feasible, housing authorities in the principal cities of each metropolitan statistical area, to improve enrollment rates in the lifeline service program.
(c)A certificated provider of local exchange telephone service may block a lifeline service participant's access to all interexchange telecommunications service except toll-free numbers when the participant owes an outstanding amount for that service. The provider shall remove the block without additional cost to the participant on payment of the outstanding amount.
(d)A certificated provider of local exchange telephone service shall offer a consumer who applies for or receives lifeline service the option of blocking all toll calls or, if technically capable, placing a limit on the amount of toll calls. The provider may not charge the consumer an administrative charge or other additional amount for the blocking service. (d-1) A certificated provider of local exchange telephone service shall provide access to lifeline service to a customer whose income is not more than 150 percent of the applicable income level established by the federal poverty guidelines or in whose household resides a person who receives or has a child who receives:
(1)Medicaid;
(2)food stamps;
…
Legislative history
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 9, eff. September 7, 2005. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 48 (S.B. 1976), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2017.