PRINTER'S NO. 1331
No. 1129 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY McCALL, ALLEN, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES,
BELARDI, BELFANTI, BROWNE, BUNT, CAWLEY, CIVERA, COSTA, COY,
CURRY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, EACHUS, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GABIG,
GEIST, GEORGE, GERGELY, GRUCELA, HALUSKA, HARHAI, HERMAN,
HORSEY, HUTCHINSON, JAMES, KELLER, KOTIK, LaGROTTA, LAUGHLIN,
LEACH, LEH, LEVDANSKY, MARSICO, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MUNDY,
NAILOR, PALLONE, PETRARCA, PRESTON, RAYMOND, READSHAW,
RUFFING, SAINATO, SATHER, SHANER, SOLOBAY, STABACK AND
R. STEVENSON, APRIL 9, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, APRIL 9, 2003
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, further providing for telephone
3 service rates for volunteer fire companies.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 1324 of Title 66 of the Pennsylvania
7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
8 § 1324. Residential telephone service rates based on duration
9 or distance of call.
10 (a) Required charging method.--In addition to any other
11 method of charging offered on an optional basis, a
12 telecommunications utility providing local exchange telephone
13 service to residential customers or volunteer fire companies
14 within a certified exchange area must provide service which
15 charges, for calls originating and terminating within the same
1 local calling area, on the basis of a flat monthly fee for all
2 such calls made.
3 (b) Options.--If the commission determines that a
4 telecommunications utility may offer to residential customers or
5 volunteer fire companies an optional method of charging for
6 calls originating and terminating within the same local calling
7 area based, in whole or in part, on the duration or distance of
8 the call, it shall also offer a rate which charges for such
9 calls only on the basis of the number of calls made.
10 (c) Rate relationship.--In addition to any other
11 requirements imposed by this title, the rates for services
12 required or permitted pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) shall
13 be maintained at just and reasonable levels in comparison to one
14 another.
15 (d) Nonresidential rates pursuant to another section.--
16 Nothing in this section shall preclude the commission from
17 establishing rates for other classes of telephone service based
18 upon another section of this title.
19 (e) Definition.--As used in this section, the term
20 "volunteer fire company" shall have the meaning given to it in
21 the act of July 15, 1976 (P.L.1036, No.208), known as the
22 Volunteer Fire Company, Ambulance Service and Rescue Squad
23 Assistance Act.
24 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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