FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 294

91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE SMITH.

Read 1st time January 9, 2001, and 1000 copies ordered printed.

TED WEDEL, Chief Clerk

0771L.01I

AN ACT

To amend chapter 392, RSMo, by adding thereto two new sections relating to consumer protections for long distance telephone service subscribers.



Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Chapter 392, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto two new sections, to be known as sections 392.522 and 392.524, to read as follows:

392.522. 1. Beginning January 1, 2002, every interexchange telecommunications service company operating in this state shall have an option, accessible from its customer service or information telephone number, whereby a customer of that interexchange telecommunications service company can cancel such service and receive confirmation of such cancellation. Upon notification of the customer's desire to cancel such service pursuant to this section, the company shall:

(1) Immediately disconnect such service; and

(2) Notify the local exchange telecommunications company that provides such customer's local service that the customer's interexchange telecommunications shall no longer be routed to that interexchange telecommunications company. Upon receipt of such notification, the local exchange telecommunications company shall cease to route such calls to such interexchange telecommunications company.

2. The commission shall adopt rules for the enforcement of this section.

392.524. 1. For any interexchange telephone call initiated in this state, the consumer shall receive information, either from a live operator or an automated system, indicating the default interexchange telecommunications company for such telephone call, the rate the consumer will be charged for such interexchange telephone call and any fixed-rate connection charges or other service charges associated with such call; provided that this section shall only apply to:

(1) Calling card calls;

(2) Credit card calls;

(3) Calls made from any payphone; or

(4) Calls made using any service wherein the consumer dials a telephone number which connects the consumer to another interexchange telecommunications company or other entity that will administer the connection of such call, whether such call is a collect call or a call paid for by the consumer.

2. The commission shall adopt rules for the enforcement of this section.


Missouri House of Representatives