Bill 4938

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    4938
Type of Legislation:            Concurrent Resolution CR
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19980401
Primary Sponsor:                Barfield
All Sponsors:                   Barfield, Inabinett, Robinson,
                                Rodgers, Byrd, J. Brown, Davenport,
                                Keegan and Edge 
Drafted Document Number:        pt\1840jm.98
Residing Body:                  House
Current Committee:              Invitations and Memorial
                                Resolutions Committee 24 HIMR
Subject:                        Universal Service Fund,
                                Presubscribed Interchange Carrier,
                                charges by Telecommunications, FCC to
                                rescind

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

House   19980401  Introduced, referred to Committee        24 HIMR

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC) TO RESCIND THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND AND PRESUBSCRIBED INTEREXCHANGE CARRIER CHARGES PROMULGATED BY THE FCC PURSUANT TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1996.

Whereas, under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 enacted by Congress, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued two orders: (1) the Universal Service Fund (USF) and (2) the Access Charge Reform (ACR); and

Whereas, both orders of the FCC became effective January 1, 1998, and will have an adverse impact on all long distance companies and their customers through additional assessments; and

Whereas, the USF assessment equates to 4.92 percent of the gross monthly charges on end user interstate and international calls; the USF contribution is to appear as a new line item on the end user's invoice; the line item is to be called "FCC Assessment"; and

Whereas, under the ACR order, the FCC has implemented a Presubscribed Interexchange Carrier (PIC) charge to modify the way that Local Exchange Carriers (LEC's) are compensated for originating and terminating long distance calls on their local access networks; this charge affects telephone lines that are designated to a customer's primary long distance carrier; and

Whereas, the USF and PIC charges are burdensome and unnecessary and will have a serious adverse impact upon long distance customers. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, requests the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to rescind the Universal Service Fund and Presubscribed Interexchange Carrier charges promulgated by the FCC pursuant to the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the President of the United States, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, and the members of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation, all at Washington, D.C.