Commission required to adopt regulations for provision of telecommunication services to public schools, public libraries, providers of health care serving rural areas, persons with low income and persons in rural, insular and high-cost areas.
1. The Commission shall adopt regulations that require each utility which provides telecommunication services to:
(a) An elementary or secondary public school; or
(b) A public library,
Ê to establish discounts in the rates for the telecommunication services that the utility provides to that school or library. The amount of the discount must be determined by the Commission in a manner that is consistent with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. § 254.
2. The Commission shall adopt regulations that require each utility which provides telecommunication services to:
(a) Public or private nonprofit providers of health care which serve persons in rural areas; or
(b) Persons with low income and persons in rural, insular and high-cost areas,
Ê to ensure that such providers of health care and persons have access to telecommunication services that are reasonably comparable to those services available in urban areas and that the rates for such services charged by the utility are reasonably comparable to those charged in the urban areas, to the extent required by the provisions of 47 U.S.C. § 254.
3. The Commission shall adopt regulations which set forth the requirements for eligibility for persons with low income and definitions for rural, insular and high-cost areas.
4. Any regulations adopted pursuant to this section must be consistent with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. § 254.
Last modified: February 26, 2006