S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  2576

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 20, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. BRENNAN, TITONE -- read once and referred to the
  Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to providing for the
  identification of federal and state assistance programs which  qualify
  recipients for telephone Lifeline service

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a  new  section
92-h to read as follows:
  S  92-H. QUALIFICATION FOR TELEPHONE LIFELINE SERVICE.  1. THE COMMIS-
SION SHALL ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL  LAWS
AND  REGULATIONS,  WHICH  WOULD REQUIRE THAT EVERY TELEPHONE CORPORATION
OFFERING A RETAIL LOCAL SERVICE THAT IS DEFINED PURSUANT TO SUBPART E OF
PART FIFTY-FOUR OF TITLE FORTY-SEVEN OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL  REGULATIONS
AS  A  LIFELINE  SERVICE AND RECEIVING FEDERAL UNIVERSAL SERVICE SUPPORT
PURSUANT TO SUCH SUBPART FOR SUCH SERVICE PROVIDE SUCH  SERVICE  TO  ALL
CUSTOMERS  WHO  ARE IDENTIFIED BY SUCH COMPANY THROUGH CUSTOMER SUPPLIED
INFORMATION OR THROUGH INFORMATION  SUPPLIED  BY  A  THIRD  PARTY  AS  A
PARTICIPANT OR ELIGIBLE TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN:
  (A) ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FEDERAL OR STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS:
  (I) MEDICAID,
  (II) FOOD STAMPS,
  (III) SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME,
  (IV) LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE,
  (V) STATE FAMILY ASSISTANCE,
  (VI) STATE SAFETY NET ASSISTANCE,
  (VII) VETERAN'S DISABILITY PENSION,
  (VIII) VETERAN'S SURVIVING SPOUSE PENSION,
  (IX) NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM,
  (X) STATE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT, OR

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02305-01-5

              

A. 2576                             2

  (XI)  CHILD  HEALTH  PLUS, AS A RECIPIENT OF FREE OR SUBSIDIZED HEALTH
COVERAGE, OR FAMILY HEALTH PLUS; OR
  (B)  SUCH  ADDITIONAL  FEDERAL  OR STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AS MAY BE
DESIGNATED BY THE COMMISSION AS A PROGRAM THAT WILL QUALIFY THE  PARTIC-
IPANT FOR SUCH LIFELINE RATE.
  2.    THE  COMMISSION SHALL ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS, IN ACCORDANCE
WITH FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS, ESTABLISHING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR
CONSUMERS THAT ARE NOT ENROLLED IN FEDERAL OR STATE ASSISTANCE  PROGRAMS
THAT  WOULD  QUALIFY  SUCH  CONSUMERS  FOR  SUCH  LIFELINE RATE. FOR THE
PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSION  SHALL  USE  SOLELY  INCOME  OR
OTHER  FACTORS DIRECTLY RELATED TO INCOME IN DETERMINING THE ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA.
  3. THE COMMISSION WILL ALSO  ESTABLISH  RULES  REQUIRING  EVERY  CABLE
TELEVISION  COMPANY,  AS  DEFINED  IN SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWELVE OF THIS
CHAPTER THAT PROVIDES TELEPHONE SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS  IN  NEW  YORK,  TO
CONTRIBUTE  TO  THE  TARGETED  ASSISTANCE FUND TO HELP SUPPORT COMPANIES
THAT CHOOSE TO OFFER LIFELINE SERVICE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.
  4. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE "TARGETED ASSISTANCE FUND"  IS  A
FUND  CREATED  IN  PUBLIC  SERVICE  COMMISSION  CASE 06-02-1998, AND WAS
DESIGNED BY THE COMMISSION TO FUND PROGRAMS SUCH AS LIFELINE,  EMERGENCY
SERVICES  (E911), AND THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICE FOR THE HEAR-
ING IMPAIRED (TRS), ON A COMPETITIVELY NEUTRAL BASIS.
  S 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2016.