Second Regular Session
               Seventieth General Assembly
                    STATE OF COLORADO
                                                 INTRODUCED
                                                           
                                                           
 LLS NO. 16-0923.01 Jennifer Berman x3286HOUSE BILL 16-1223
                    HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
 Rankin, Hamner, Young
 
                   SENATE SPONSORSHIP
 Grantham, Lambert, Steadman
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 House Committees
 Senate Committees
 
 
 Transportation & Energy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                         A BILL FOR AN ACT
       Concerning an exception to the application of a statutory
            reduction in the amount of contributions that the
            public utilities commission requires
            telecommunications companies to pay to fund the high
            cost support mechanism if the amount of the
            contributions assessed by the public utilities
            commission would be reduced by an amount greater
            than that reflected in the statutory reduction when
            compared to the amount of contributions from the
            previous year.
       
       
                           Bill Summary
       
            (Note:  This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
       not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
       passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
       applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
       http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.)
       
            Joint Budget Committee. The public utilities commission
       provides financial assistance to telecommunications companies that
       provide basic telephone service or broadband service in areas that lack
       effective competition by assessing a surcharge on all telecommunications
       companies in the state and allocating those contributions to the high cost
       support mechanism (HCSM). A portion of the HCSM is transferred to the
       broadband fund, which fund is administered by the broadband
       deployment board (board). The board awards grants for projects aimed at
       deploying broadband service in unserved areas of the state. From 2016 to
       2023, the HCSM surcharge is statutorily reduced by a percentage of the
       amount of contributions that were allocated to the broadband fund in the
       previous year. 
            The bill provides that if, in a given year, the amount of
       contributions to the HCSM from all telecommunications companies is
       reduced from the amount of contributions in the previous year by an
       amount equal to or greater than the statutory reduction percentage, the
       statutory reduction percentage need not be applied. 
       
       
       
       Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
            SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 40-15-208, add (2)
       (a) (IV) as follows:
            40-15-208.  High cost support mechanism - Colorado high cost
       administration fund - creation - purpose - operation - rules - report
       - repeal. (2) (a) (IV)  If, based on the surcharge and surcharge
       rate established by the commission at one of its regularly
       scheduled meetings, the total amount of contributions to the
       high cost support mechanism in a given year is less than the
       total amount of contributions in the previous year by an amount
       equal to or greater than the amount reflected in the scheduled
       percentage reduction for that year, as set forth in
       subparagraph (III) of this paragraph (a), the scheduled
       percentage reduction need not be applied.
            SECTION 2.  Applicability. This act applies to contributions
       calculated on or after the effective date of this act.
            SECTION 3.  Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
       determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
       preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.