What's happening
This bill updates terminology in the public service law regarding the authority to create rules for lifeline service eligibility among mobile and cellular providers.
Why it matters
Clarifies regulatory authority. By changing "commissioner" to "commission," the bill ensures that rulemaking power for lifeline service eligibility is clearly vested in the full Public Service Commission, not in a single official, which could affect how decisions are debated and made.
Impacts oversight and accountability. This shift could lead to more transparent and collectively accountable decisions about which mobile and cellular providers qualify for lifeline service, potentially affecting consumer protections and public input.
Affects provider participation. The clarified authority may influence how easily new or existing mobile service providers can be designated as eligible for lifeline programs, which could alter the range of choices and pricing for low-income consumers.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Easier Lifeline Phone Approvals
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by S6936
- Advanced to third reading cal.342
- Reported
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Expand Lifeline Phone Service
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8986
IN ASSEMBLY
January 7, 2020
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to commercial mobile radio and cellular telephone service providers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph c of subdivision 6 of section 5 of the public service law, as amended by a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the public service law relating to commercial mobile radio and cellular telephone service providers, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5782-A and A. 7811-A, is amended to read as follows:
c. Notwithstanding paragraph a of this subdivision, the commission may designate any commercial mobile radio or cellular telephone service providers as an eligible telecommunications carrier for purposes of providing lifeline service, in addition to any commercial mobile radio or cellular telephone service providers designated as such pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 214(e) and 47 U.S.C. § 214(e)(2), without requiring any such provider to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity pursuant to section ninety-nine of this chapter. The [commissioner] commission is authorized to promulgate all rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this paragraph.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the public service law relating to commercial mobile radio and cellular telephone service providers, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5782-A and A. 7811-A, takes effect.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11763-04-0
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.