LANSING – The Michigan House passed a controversial measure on Tuesday that would streamline the process of allowing telephone companies to drop landline services.
SB 636 passed 71-39. The Michigan Senate must concur in the House changes before the bill goes to Governor Rick Snyder for approval.
The legislation, which wouldn’t go into effect until 2017, would essentially drop the Public Service Commission’s role in allowing a telephone provider to abandon an exchange, leaving the Federal Communications Commission as the regulator.
The bill also contains a provision designed to make sure voice lines would be available, and a reliable and comparable service to 911 would exist before landline services would end. A substitute adopted on the House floor requires the PSC to maintain a publicly available database on providers in the state.
The substitute also requires, after the FCC approves discontinuing of landline services, providers to post various notices at least 90 days before discontinuing the service.
Rep. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) opposed to the bill. He said the bill has been compared to when analog television went digital, but he said after that switch, he doesn’t have access to television channels without paying for advanced cable.
He also said in his community, cell phone coverage is not reliable. He said he can see the cell phone tower from his house but still can’t make calls at times.
Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton), chair of the House Energy and Technology Committee, which reported the bill, said the bill ensures reliability before a landline service would be dropped.
He said the bill allows technology to continue to advance while still providing basic consumer protections.
The bill cleared the Senate and a House committee in December after hearing opposition from groups such as the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, who held concerns on reliability for seniors and in rural areas. AT&T supports the legislation.
“Residents, hospitals, schools and businesses are transitioning each and every day to the benefits delivered through IP and wireless communications technology,” said ATT President Jim Murray in a statement. “They make use of these innovations to connect with family and friends, do business, teach students, treat patients and call 911 in emergencies.
“Senate Bill 636 aims to enhance and expand these services for consumers by updating Michigan law to give the Federal Communications Commission, with input from the Michigan Public Service Commission, the authority to decide if providers like AT&T can transition our network to one built on IP and wireless technology, a transition millions of residents have already made,” he said.
COMMUNITY SERVICE: The House also passed SB 276 , which supporters say would codify current Department of Human Services practices to use community service as a work requirement for receiving benefits through the Family Independence Program.
The bill cleared the House on a 91-19 vote. The bill now goes to Governor Rick Snyder.
