Compare versions

--- version:File No. 384
+++ version:(document, no version)
@@ -1,89 +1,4 @@
-House of Representatives
-HB5338 / File No. 384  1
-
-General Assembly File No. 384
-February Session, 2026 House Bill No. 5338
-
-House of Representatives, April 2, 2026
-
-The Committee on Energy and Technology  reported through
-REP. STEINBERG of the 136th Dist., Chairperson  of the
-Committee on the part of the House, that the bill ought to pass.
-
- AN ACT CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN SERVICE
-PROVIDERS FOR PURPOSES OF THE FEDERAL LIFELINE SERVICE
-BENEFITS.
-Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
-Assembly convened:
-
-Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 16 -247e of the general statutes is 1
-repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 2
-1, 2026): 3
-(a) [In order to ] To ensure the universal availability of affordable, 4
-high quality telecommunications services to all residents and businesses 5
-throughout the state regardless of income, disability or location, the 6
-authority shall (1) periodically investigate and determine, after notice 7
-and hearing, local service options, including the definition and 8
-components of any basic telecommunications services, necessary to 9
-achieve universal service and meet customer needs; and (2) establish 10
-lifeline and telecommunications relay service programs funded by all 11
-telecommunications [carriers] service providers that provide intrastate 12
-telecommunications services, as such terms are defined in 47 USC 153, 13
-HB5338 File No. 384
-
-HB5338 / File No. 384  2
-
-as amended from time to time, sufficient to provide low -income 14
-households or individuals, or persons who are hard of hearing or speech 15
-impaired, with a level of telecommunications service or package of 16
-telecommunications services that supports participation in the economy 17
-and society of the state. The authority shall apportion the funding for 18
-the lifeline and telecommunications relay  service programs among 19
-telecommunications [carriers] service providers  on an equitable basis 20
-based on the gross revenues of each telecommunications [carrier] 21
-service provider  that are generated in [Connecticut] the state , [both] 22
-whether based on interstate [and] or intrastate services. The lifeline and 23
-telecommunications relay service programs shall be administered by an 24
-entity authorized, and subject to oversight, by the authority. The 25
-authority shall determine by order any telecommunications service 26
-provider eligible to provide benefits pursuant to the lifeline program 27
-and which customers qualify for [the lifeline] benefits pursuant to such 28
-program. Recipients of lifeline funds shall use such funds to pay for 29
-telecommunications services provided by [any] a telecommunications 30
-[carrier] service provider. 31
-This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
-sections:
-
-Section 1 October 1, 2026 16-247e(a)
-
-ET Joint Favorable
-
-HB5338 File No. 384
-
-HB5338 / File No. 384  3
-
-The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
-the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
-represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.  In general,
-fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
-knowledge.  Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
-products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
-
-OFA Fiscal Note
-
-State Impact: None
-Municipal Impact: None
-Explanation
-The bill makes various minor and technical changes to the Public
-Utilities Regulatory Authority's statutes and does not result in a fiscal
-impact.
-The Out Years
-State Impact: None
-Municipal Impact: None
-
-HB5338 File No. 384
-
-HB5338 / File No. 384  4
+Researcher: MF Page 1 4/2/26
 
 OLR Bill Analysis
 HB 5338
@@ -97,11 +12,11 @@
 determine by order any telecommunications service provider eligible to
 provide service under the state’s Lifeline Program (it appears this
 program is not currently operating).
-The bill also makes minor and technical changes. It requires the
+The bill also makes minor and technical changes.  It requires the
 program to be funded by all telecommunications services providers,
 rather than all telecommunications carriers. Under federal law, a
-telecommunications carrier is any provider of telecommunic ations
-services, excluding aggregators of telecommunications services (47
+telecommunications carrier is any provider of telecommunications
+services, excluding aggregators of telecomm unications services (47
 U.S.C. § 153).
 EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
 BACKGROUND
@@ -109,7 +24,7 @@
 Federal law established the federal Lifeline Program in 1985 and also
 authorizes states to establish state lifeline programs. The federal Lifeline
 Program provides a discount for telecommunications services for low -
-income households. The program is funded by telecommunications
+income households. The program is funded by t elecommunications
 carrier payments to the federal Universal Service Fund.
 COMMITTEE ACTION
 Energy and Technology Committee