Assembly Bill No. 483-Committee on Government Affairs
May 14, 1997
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Referred to Committee on Government Affairs
SUMMARY--Requires advocate for customers of public utilities to perform certain duties concerning telecommunication services in this state. (BDR 18-1467)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: Yes.
EXPLANATION - Matter in italics is new; matter in brackets [ ] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to telecommunication services; requiring the advocate for customers of public utilities to perform certain duties concerning telecommunication services in this state; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1 Chapter 228 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. The consumer's advocate shall:
(a) Compile and maintain records that:
(1) Pertain to the telecommunication services available in this state, including, without limitation, those services related to medicine, education, libraries and community and economic development; and
(2) Are submitted to the consumer's advocate on a voluntary basis by providers of telecommunication services.
Records compiled and maintained pursuant to this subsection must be updated annually and maintained in a format that can be easily understood.
(b) Receive and maintain information from the local governments, general public and businesses of this state regarding the need for telecommunication services, including, without limitation, issues relating to the access, connectivity and capacity of telecommunication services in the rural areas of this state.
(c) In cooperation with the local governments, general public and businesses of this state, identify problems and facilitate the development of solutions regarding the provision of telecommunication services in the rural areas of this state.
(d) Act as an advocate for the general public and businesses of this state in matters before the public service commission of Nevada that concern the carrying out by the commission of federal and state statutes and regulations relating to universal service.
(e) Facilitate coordination among the agencies and local governments of this state and the public service commission of Nevada regarding issues relating to telecommunication services.
2. As used in this section, "universal service" means the availability of affordable and reliable basic telecommunication service to as many customers in this state as economically and operationally practicable.
Sec. 2 NRS 228.300 is hereby amended to read as follows:
228.300As used in NRS 228.300 to 228.390, inclusive, and section 1 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Consumer's advocate" means the advocate for customers of public utilities.
2. "Cooperative utility" means a cooperative association or nonprofit corporation or association which supplies utility services for the use of its own members only.
3. "Public interest" means the interests or rights of the State of Nevada and of the citizens of the state, or a broad class of those citizens, which arise from the constitutions, court decisions and statutes of this state and of the United States and from the common law, as those interests and rights relate to the regulation of public utilities.
Sec. 3 NRS 228.380 is hereby amended to read as follows:
228.380[The] Except as otherwise provided in section 1 of this act, the powers of the consumer's advocate do not extend to matters directly relating to discretionary or competitive telecommunication services.
Sec. 4 This act expires by limitation on June 30, 2003.