HB-4283, As Passed House, June 24, 2003

SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 4283

                                                                             A bill to amend 1991 PA 179, entitled                                             

"Michigan telecommunications act,"                                          

(MCL 484.2101 to 484.2701) by adding section 314a.                          

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1   Sec. 314a.  (1) Except as otherwise provided by this                        

2   section, a telecommunication provider shall not discontinue basic           

3   local exchange telecommunication service to the residence of a              

4   qualifying customer who has made a filing under this section.               

5       (2) A qualifying customer may apply for shut-off protection                 

6   for telecommunication service under this section by notifying the           

7   provider that the qualifying customer is in need of assistance              

8   caused by a reduction in household income through a call to                 

9   active duty status in the military.                                         

10      (3) A provider of service may request verification of the                   

11  call to active duty status from the qualifying customer.  A                 

1   provider of service may also request verification of the                    

2   qualified customer's reduction in household income.                         

3       (4) A provider of service may require restrictions or                       

4   elimination of calling features or toll service as a condition of           

5   granting a qualifying customer's request for shut-off protection            

6   under this section.                                                         

7       (5) A qualifying customer may receive shut-off protection                   

8   from the provider of service under this section for up to 90                

9   days.  Upon application to the provider, the provider may grant             

10  the qualifying customer 1 or more extensions.                               

11      (6) A qualifying customer receiving assistance under this                   

12  section shall notify the provider of the end of the call to                 

13  active duty status as soon as that status is known.                         

14      (7) Unless waived by the provider, the shut-off protection                  

15  provided under this section does not void or limit the obligation           

16  of the qualifying customer to pay for telecommunication services            

17  received during the time of assistance.                                     

18      (8) Within 48 hours of receiving all information requested                  

19  of the qualifying customer, a provider shall do all of the                  

20  following:                                                                  

21      (a) Create a repayment plan requiring minimum monthly                       

22  payments that allows the qualifying customer to pay any past due            

23  amounts over a reasonable time period not to exceed 1 year.                 

24      (b) Provide a qualifying customer with information regarding                

25  any governmental, provider, or other assistance programs.                   

26      (9) This section does not affect or amend any commission                    

27  rules or orders pertaining to billing standards.  If the terms              

1   and conditions arranged by the provider with the qualifying                 

2   customer under subsection (8) are not followed by the customer,             

3   then the provider shall follow procedures as set forth in the               

4   commission's billing standards for basic residential                        

5   telecommunication service.                                                  

6       (10) As used in this section, "qualifying customer" means                   

7   all of the following:                                                       

8       (a) A residential household where the income is reduced                     

9   because the customer of record, or the spouse of the customer of            

10  record, is called to active military service by the president of            

11  the United States or the governor of this state during a time of            

12  declared national or state emergency or war.                                

13  (b) Assistance is needed by the residential household to                    

14  maintain telecommunication service.                                         

15      (c) The residential household notifies the provider of the                  

16  need for assistance and provides verification of the call to                

17  active duty status.