SB  80-TELECOMMUNICATIONS: DISABLED SUBSCRIBERS                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:13:39 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR COSTELLO announced  the consideration of SB  80. She stated                                                               
that this  is the  second hearing  and the intent  is to  adopt a                                                               
committee substitute  (CS), take members' questions,  and look to                                                               
the will of the committee.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:14:21 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR  HUGHES moved  to  adopt the  work draft  CS  for SB  80,                                                               
labeled 30-LS0631\J, as the working document.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO objected for an explanation of the changes.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:14:33 AM                                                                                                                   
SORCHA  HAZELTON, Staff,  Senator  Mia  Costello, explained  that                                                               
version  J for  SB 80  incorporates changes  discussed in  public                                                               
testimony during  the last bill  hearing. It  incorporates person                                                               
first  language   and  the  suggestion   to  change   the  phrase                                                               
"organizations  representing  the  deaf,  hard  of  hearing,  and                                                               
speech disabled" to "organizations  whose principle purpose is to                                                               
provide these services".                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
These changes are found on page 1,  line 8; page 1, line 12; page                                                               
2, line 5; and page 2, lines 8-9.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGHES asked if the  CS clarifies that new companies that                                                               
have not been charging customers  this surcharge would be brought                                                               
under this  umbrella, and,  if so, are  those companies  aware of                                                               
that.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. HAZELTON said  yes, and pointed to page 1,  line 6, that says                                                               
the    commission     shall    adopt     regulations    requiring                                                               
telecommunication  utilities   to  provide  services.   She  also                                                               
clarified  that  the  subscriber  pays  the  surcharge,  not  the                                                               
utility. She  said the purpose  of changing the  terminology from                                                               
"telephone"  to  "telecommunications"  is to  allow  the  RCA  to                                                               
change their regulations more frequently than state statute.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGHES asked if new companies  will fit under the bill or                                                               
if it will apply to existing companies, but change their rates.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. HAZELTON said there shouldn't be any new companies.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:17:20 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR COSTELLO  removed her objection  and announced that  the CS                                                               
for SB 80, version J, is adopted.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:17:29 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR HUGHES  moved to report the  CS for SB 80  from committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO announced  that CSSB 80(L&C) is  reported from the                                                               
Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.