(220 ILCS 5/13-301.1) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-301.1)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2026)
Sec. 13-301.1. Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program.
(a) The Commission shall by rule or regulation establish a Universal
Telephone Service Assistance Program for low income residential customers.
The program shall provide for a reduction of access line charges, a
reduction of connection charges, or any other alternative assistance or program to increase
accessibility to telephone service and broadband Internet access service that the Commission deems advisable
subject to the availability of funds for the program as provided in subsections
(d) and (e). The Commission shall establish eligibility
requirements
for benefits under the program.
(b) The Commission shall adopt rules providing for enhanced enrollment for
eligible consumers to receive lifeline service. Enhanced enrollment may
include, but is not limited to, joint marketing, joint application, or joint
processing with the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Medicaid
Program, and the Food Stamp Program. The Department of Human Services, the
Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,
upon request of the Commission, shall assist in the adoption and implementation
of those rules. The Commission and the Department of Human Services, the
Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
may enter into memoranda of understanding establishing the respective duties of
the Commission and the Departments in relation to enhanced enrollment.
(c) In this Section: "Lifeline service" means a retail local service
offering described by 47 CFR 54.401(a), as amended.
(d) The Commission shall require by rule or regulation that each
telecommunications carrier providing local exchange telecommunications
services notify its customers that if the customer wishes to participate in
the funding of the Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program he may do
so by electing to contribute, on a monthly basis, a fixed amount that will
be included in the customer's monthly bill. The customer may cease
contributing at any time upon providing notice to the telecommunications
carrier providing local exchange telecommunications services. The notice
shall state that any contribution made will not reduce the customer's bill
for telecommunications services. Failure to remit the amount of increased
payment will reduce the contribution accordingly. The Commission shall
specify the monthly fixed amount or amounts that customers wishing to
contribute to the funding of the Universal Telephone Service Assistance
Program may choose from in making their contributions. Every
telecommunications carrier providing local exchange telecommunications
services shall remit the amounts contributed in accordance with the terms
of the Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program.
(e) Amounts collected and remitted under subsection (d) may, to the extent the Commission deems advisable, be used for funding a program to be administered by the entity designated by the Commission as administrator of the Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program for educating and assisting low-income residential customers with a transition to Internet protocol-based networks and services. This program may include, but need not be limited to, measures designed to notify and educate residential customers regarding the availability of alternative voice services with access to 9-1-1, access to and use of broadband Internet access service, and pricing options. (Source: P.A. 100-20, eff. 7-1-17.)
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