Establishment of standards and penalties to encourage competition and discourage discrimination in provision of local telecommunication services. The Commission shall, by regulation:
1. Establish standards of performance and reporting regarding the provision of interconnection, unbundled network elements and resold services, which encourage competition and discourage discriminatory conduct in the provision of local telecommunication services; and
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of NRS 703.320 to the contrary, establish penalties and expedited procedures for imposing penalties upon a provider of telecommunication services for actions that are inconsistent with the standards established by the Commission pursuant to subsection 1. Such penalties may include financial payment to the complaining provider of telecommunication services for a violation of the standards established by the Commission pursuant to subsection 1, provided that any penalty paid must be deducted, with interest, from any other award under any other judicial or administrative procedure for the same conduct in the same reporting period. Any penalty imposed pursuant to this subsection is in lieu of the civil penalties set forth in NRS 703.380 and must be:
(a) Imposed for violating a standard or standards established by regulations of the Commission pursuant to subsection 1;
(b) Determined by the Commission to further the goal of encouraging competition or discouraging discriminatory conduct; and
(c) In an amount reasonable to encourage competition or discourage discriminatory conduct.
Last modified: February 26, 2006