S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3941
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 30, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations
 
 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-j to read as follows:
   § 92-J. 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.
                                                            LBD05337-01-5
              

 S. 3941                             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.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.