27554.docx

(text box: 1)BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF IMPLEMENTING AMENDMENTS TO THE IDAHO TELECOM­MUNICATIONS SERVICE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
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CASE NO. GNR-T-98-6
NOTICE OF PROPOSED
          ORDER
ORDER NO.  27554
During its 1998 session, the Idaho Legislature approved amendments to the Idaho Telecommunications Service Assistance Program (ITSAP) set forth in Title 56, Chapter 9, Idaho Code.  The ITSAP program provides eligible recipients of basic local telecommunication service with a credit to reduce their cost of such services and promote universal service.  Eligible customers may receive a credit not exceeding $10.50 per month.  The ITSAP program is funded by surcharges collected by the Federal Communications Commission and the Idaho Public Utilities Commission.  The IPUC intends to adopt the attached Proposed Order to implement the 1998 amendments to the ITSAP program by July 1, 1998.
The Commission is charged with the responsibility to determine and impose a uniform statewide monthly surcharge on each end user’s business, residential and wireless access service.  See Idaho Code § 56-904(2).  The surcharge must be an amount sufficient to reimburse each carrier of residential basic local exchange service for the amount of telephone assistance discounts provided, as well as all carriers’ and the administrator’s expenses of administering the ITSAP program.  The Proposed Order establishes the ITSAP surcharge at 13 cents per end user business, residential and wireless access service.  The surcharge must be explicitly stated on end users’ billing statements.
Pursuant to Idaho Code § 56-904(2), the Commission may appoint an administrator to collect the surcharge and distribute assistance revenues.  The Commission Staff recommends that the Commission contract with the current State Universal Service Fund Administrator to serve as ITSAP administrator.  The Proposed Order does not identify an administrator because the Commission desires additional information regarding administrator’s duties and costs before making a final determination.      
NOTICE OF PROPOSED ORDER
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that pursuant to Procedural Rule 312, the Commission is issuing the attached Proposed Order for comment.  IDAPA 31.01.01.312.  Any party may file exceptions and briefs to the Proposed Order within fourteen (14) days from the service date of this Notice.  In addition, parties may file and serve answers to the party’s briefs to the exceptions within seven (7) days after service of the exceptions.  The Commission also invites members of the public to submit comments.  
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that written exceptions or comments concern­ing this Proposed Order should be mailed to the Commission at the address listed below:
Commission Secretary
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472 W. Washington
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0074
Parties filing exceptions or answers should serve those documents with the Commission and all other parties.  Exceptions, answers and comments should contain the case caption and case number shown on the first page of this document.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission may adopt or revise the Proposed Order in response to the exceptions or comments and issue a final order accordingly.  The Proposed Order is not an Order of the Commission unless it is later adopted by an Order.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the attached Proposed Order be submitted for exceptions and comments to the parties and the public.  Exceptions or comments to the Proposed Order shall be filed with the Commission Secretary and other parties within fourteen (14) days of the service date of this Order.  Any party filing answers to exceptions must do so within seven (7) days after service of the exceptions.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this                  day of June 1998.
                                                                                                                                      DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT
                                                                                           RALPH NELSON, COMMISSIONER

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary
vld/O:GNR-T-98-6.ws2
COMMENTS AND ANNOTATIONS
Text Box 1:
TEXT BOXES
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
June 2, 1998