STATES
WASHINGTON -- Lawmakers seek to encourage rural deployment with tax
incentives
MINNESOTA -- Senate committee to discuss telecom issues
MINNESOTA -- Democrats make telecom issues high priority
MISSOURI -- Bill would give tax credits for donations to schools,
libraries
ILLINOIS -- General Assembly prepares to rewrite telecom law
OREGON -- Bill would change requirements for utilities to issue stocks,
bonds, notes
CONNECTICUT -- Legislator wants customer credits when ISPs' servers are
down
TEXAS -- Bill would expand safeguard for residential disconnects
MASSACHUSSETS -- Senator wants 'standards of conduct' for telemarketers
WASHINGTON -- WUTC to hold workshop on telecom operations rules

ADVANCED SERVICES
WASHINGTON
Lawmakers seek to encourage rural deployment with tax incentives

Rep. Richard DeBolt (R., District 20) has introduced legislation to
provide tax incentives for companies seeking to deploy advanced telecom
services in rural areas.  HB 1239 would exempt from taxation any sales
to or by telecom companies for machinery, equipment, or tangible
personal property used to build telecom infrastructure in rural areas.

Telecom company machinery, equipment, or facilities used to provide
advanced telecom services to rural areas would be exempt from the use
tax.  Telecom companies also would be able to receive a tax credits
equal to 50% of their costs of constructing telecom structures or
facilities, or acquiring machinery or equipment.

HB 1239 awaits consideration by the House Technology,
Telecommunications, and Energy Committee.

STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MINNESOTA
Senate committee to discuss telecom issues

The Senate Telecommunications, Energy, and Utilities Committee has
scheduled hearings tomorrow and Feb. 1 for a general overview of telecom
issues, the legislative staff told TR.  The Senate staff likely will
make a presentation.  The committee hasn't received any telecom-related
legislation yet, the staff noted.

The hearings are scheduled for 2 p.m. in Room 15 of the Capitol
Building.

STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MINNESOTA
Democrats make telecom issues high priority

The 2001 legislative agenda unveiled by House Democrats includes
ensuring access to high-speed and wireless telecom services and
establishing online privacy safeguards for consumers.  The Democrats'
privacy protection plan includes reforming telemarketing practices.
They promised detailed proposals within the next few weeks.

TAXATION
MISSOURI
Bill would give tax credits for donations to schools, libraries

Rep. Connie (LaJoyce) Johnson (D., District 61) has introduced HB 507 to
establish state income tax credits for companies that give either
high-tech equipment to school districts or cash donations to school
district libraries.

Under HB 507, companies that donate high-tech equipment to a public
school district would receive a tax credit worth 50% of the value of the
contribution.  If the equipment went to a school district with a large
percentage of "high-risk students," the tax credit would increase to 75%
of the donation's value.  Companies that donate cash to help a school
district library to buy computers, Internet service, books, or other
equipment would receive a tax credit for 50% of the donation's value.

Both the school and library tax credits would apply to tax years that
start on or after Jan. 1, 2001, but before Jan. 1, 2005.  A taxpayer
couldn't receive a tax credit worth more than $5,000 in one tax year,
and the total amount of tax credits generated by HB 507 couldn't surpass
$5 million.  The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which
is the administrative branch of the State Board of Education, would
promulgate rules to enact the proposed bill.

HB 507's text is available at
http://www.house.state.mo.us/bills01/biltxt01/intro01/HB0507I.htm.

STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ILLINOIS
General Assembly prepares to rewrite telecom law

The General Assembly's leadership is selecting members for the House and
Senate committees that will oversee the rewrite of the state's telecom
law, the legislative staff has told TR.  The telecom article (XIII) of
the state's Public Utilities Act expires July 1.

The committee assignments likely will be announced by the end of this
week, the staff said.  The House has eliminated the committee it created
last year to oversee the telecom article rewrite, the staff noted.
(1/31/00 a.m.)

STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
OREGON
Bill would change requirements for utilities to issue stocks, bonds,
notes

Rep. Bill Witt (R., District 7) has introduced a bill at the request of
Verizon Northwest, Inc., to change a revenue requirement for telecom
utilities seeking to issue stocks, bonds, or other instruments of
indebtedness.  HB 2500 would reduce from 75% to 50% the percentage of
revenue that a utility must derive from out-of-state sources to issue an
"evidence of indebtedness" without needing the Public Utility
Commission's approval.

HB 2500 awaits consideration by the House Smart Growth and Commerce
Committee.

INTERNET
CONNECTICUT
Legislator wants customer credits when ISPs' servers are down

Rep. Ruth C. Fahrbach (R., District 61) has introduced HB 5797, which
would require Internet service providers (ISPs) to reimburse or credit
their customers for toll charges and fees when the ISP's e-mail server
isn't available.  The bill has been referred to the General Law
Committee.  The measure's text is available at
http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2001/tob/h/2001HB-05797-R00-HB.htm.

CUSTOMER-AFFECTING
TEXAS
Bill would expand safeguard for residential disconnects

Sen. Royce West (D., District 23) has introduced SB 295 to prohibit
basic local exchange carriers from disconnecting their residential
customers for unpaid charges for services other than their basic local
telecom service.  Current law doesn't allow a carrier to disconnect a
local service customer for failing to pay for their long distance
service.  SB 295 would extend the safeguard to apply to all unpaid
nonbasic local service charges.

The bill awaits consideration by the Senate Business and Commerce
Committee.

CUSTOMER-AFFECTING
MASSACHUSSETS
Senator wants 'standards of conduct' for telemarketers

Sen. Michael R. Knapik (R., 2nd Hampden and Hampshire) has introduced SB
55 to establish "standards of conduct" for telemarketers.  The bill
would establish a no-call list and prohibit telemarketers from blocking
their Caller ID information or using fictitious names when calling.

It would prohibit such practices as requesting up-front fees to improve
a person's credit report and sending a delivery service employee to pick
up prepayments for goods ordered by a caller.

Telemarketing calls to residences would be permitted only between 10
a.m. and 5 p.m. and between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.  Violators of the proposed
law would be subject to civil penalties of up to $5,000 for each
transgression.

The bill has been referred to the Commerce and Labor Committee.  Its
text is available at http://www.state.ma.us/legis/bills/st00055.htm.

FUTURE OF REGULATION
WASHINGTON
WUTC to hold workshop on telecom operations rules

The state Utilities and Transportation Commission has scheduled a Feb.
22 stakeholder workshop to address rules governing the operation of
telecom carriers.  Comments on the proposed rules are due Feb. 14.

The issues addressed by the proposed rules include safety, E911, service
quality, network maintenance, and universal service.  The proposed rules
can be downloaded from
http://www.wutc.wa.gov/webdocs.nsf/383067b300b2aed98825681500796951/22c36d9e1a
856ac3882569dd00823aed!OpenDocument.

Federal law prohibits duplication in any form, including electronic,
without permission of the publisher.

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