| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to Lifeline telecommunications service; |
| 3 | amending s. 364.10, F.S.; requiring the Public Service |
| 4 | Commission to adopt rules providing for an automatic |
| 5 | enrollment process for eligible customers to receive |
| 6 | Lifeline service; requiring the commission, the Department |
| 7 | of Children and Family Services, and the Office of Public |
| 8 | Counsel to enter into a memorandum of understanding |
| 9 | concerning the automatic enrollment of consumers in |
| 10 | Lifeline services; requiring certain state agencies to |
| 11 | automatically enroll an eligible consumer in the Lifeline |
| 12 | service; providing an effective date. |
| 13 |
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| 14 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 15 |
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| 16 | Section 1. Paragraph (h) of subsection (3) of section |
| 17 | 364.10, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 18 | 364.10 Undue advantage to person or locality prohibited; |
| 19 | Lifeline service.-- |
| 20 | (3) |
| 21 | (h)1. By September 1, 2007, the commission shall adopt |
| 22 | rules providing for an automatic enrollment process for eligible |
| 23 | customers to receive Lifeline service. The rules shall include |
| 24 | an option for the eligible customer to refuse Lifeline service. |
| 25 | 2. The commission, the Department of Children and Family |
| 26 | Services, and the Office of Public Counsel shall enter into a |
| 27 | memorandum of understanding establishing the respective duties |
| 28 | of the commission, the Department of Children and Family |
| 29 | Services, and the Office of Public Counsel with respect to the |
| 30 | automatic enrollment. |
| 31 | 3. By December 31, 2007 2003, each state agency that |
| 32 | provides benefits to persons eligible for Lifeline service shall |
| 33 | undertake, in cooperation with the Department of Children and |
| 34 | Family Services, the Department of Education, the commission, |
| 35 | the Office of Public Counsel, and telecommunications companies |
| 36 | providing Lifeline services, the development of procedures to |
| 37 | promote Lifeline participation. If a state agency determines |
| 38 | that a person is eligible for Lifeline service, the agency must |
| 39 | immediately ensure that the person is automatically enrolled in |
| 40 | the Lifeline service with the appropriate eligible |
| 41 | telecommunications carrier. |
| 42 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007. |