H 4928 General Bill, By M.F. Jaskwhich and Tripp
 A Bill to require the Public Service Commission to monitor the cellular
 telecommunications industry in this State.

   04/11/96  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-31
   04/11/96  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-31

A BILL

TO REQUIRE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO MONITOR THE CELLULAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY IN THIS STATE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Whereas, it has come to the attention of the members of the General Assembly that certain Federal Communications Commission requirements impact on the cellular telecommunications industry in such a manner as to restrict free enterprise; and

Whereas, if the regulation of this industry is ever given to the states to regulate, the State would need data on which to base its regulations.

SECTION 1. (A) Beginning July 1, 1996, the Public Service Commission shall monitor the cellular telecommunications industry in this State for the purpose of compiling data which would facilitate the state's regulation of this industry should the federal government transfer that regulatory function from the Federal Communications Commission to the states at some future time.

(B) The monitoring required by subsection (A) includes, but is not limited to rates, numbers of vendors in various markets, siting of cellular telecommunications relay, transmitting and receiving towers, and the sharing of these towers.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.