AB 174 — Revises provisions relating to telecommunication providers. (BDR 58-128)

A.B.Assembly Bill No.

174174–Assemblymember ASSEMBLYMarzola BCHAPTER.......... ILLN O.

174–A SSEMBLYMEMBER M ARZOLA PREFILED FEBRUARY 2, 2025 ____________ Referred to Committee on Growth and Infrastructure SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to telecommunication providers.

(BDR 58-128) FISCAL NOTE:

Effect on Local Government:

No.

Effect on the State:

No.

~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

Existing law requires certain telecommunication providers, called providers of last resort, to provide basic network service and business line service to any person requesting and eligible to receive such service in a particular service territory.

(NRS 704.018) Existing law authorizes certain providers of last resort to file an application with the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to be relieved of their obligation to provide such service in an area where an alternative voice service is Theprovided termby “alternativea voicespecified service”number for the purposes of theseother provisionsproviders excludesmeeting retailcertain voicerequirements. service that is made available through satellite.

(NRSThe 704.68886)term This bill removes the provision excluding retail voice service that is made available through satellite from the definition of “alternative voice service,”service” thereby allowing providers of retail voice service by satellite to be included among the providers of alternative voice service which may be counted for the purposes of determiningthese networkprovisions serviceexcludes andretail businessvoice line service tothat anyis eligiblemade personavailable withinthrough asatellite. servicesic territory.

-(NRS *AB174*704.68886) –This 2bill –removes THEthe PEOPLEprovision OFexcluding THEretail STATEvoice OFservice NEVADA,that REPRESENTEDis INmade SENATEavailable ANDproviders ASSEMBLY,of DOretail ENACTvoice ASservice FOLLOWS:by satellite to be included among the providers ofng alternative voice service which may be counted for the purposes of determining whether a provider of last resort may be relieved of its obligation to provide basic network service and business line service to any eligible person within a service territory.

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

(b)- On83rd orSession after(2025) June– 1,2 2015,– two or more providers that utilize a wireless or satellite technology and that are capable of providingprovidinge a alternative voice service to the entire area for which relief is sought;

(b) A draft of the notice which the applicant intends to provide pur3.pursuant to subsection 4.

The3. Commission shall approve or deny an application filed pursuant to subsection 1 not later than 180 days after the application is filed with the Commission.

The Commission shall not approve or deny an application filed pursuant to subsection 1 not later than 180 days after the application application unless the Commission determines that the applicant has satisfied the requirements of this section.

The notice may be included in a bill from the applicant to the customer or included in a special mailing, other than a promotional mailing, which states that important - *AB174* – 3 – information is enclosed.

(b) To each public safety answering point which is located withinwit5. the area for which relief is sought.

5.

(b) A statement that a consumer session will be conducted by the Commission in accordance with subsection 7 at which the customer- may83rd makeSession inquiries(2025) or– comments3 concerning– the application.

make inquiries or comments concerning the (c) A statement that the Commission will issue a public notice identifying the time, date and location of the consumer session.

Not later than 120 days after receiving an application filed pursuant to subsection 1, the Commission shall, in collaboration with the applicant, schedule and conduct at least one consumer session in each county in which is located, in whole or in part, any area for which relief is sought under the application.

- *AB174* – 4 – 9.

If the Commission issues an order approving an application for relief pursuant to this section, the relief granted by such approval does not affect or modify any obligation of an incumbent local exchange carrier pursuant to any applicable federal law or regulation.reg10.

10.

Except as otherwise provided in this section, any relief granted pursuant to this section does not impose any obligation upon a- provider83rd ofSession (2025) – 4 – was granted.f alternative voice service in the area for which relief was12. granted.

12.

(c) Issue an order imposing on a provider of alternative voice service one or more obligations, including, without limitation, the obligation to maintain adequate and reliable service for a specified period, but such obligations may be imposed only to the extent thatthatd the provider receives money from the fund to maintain the availability of telephone service relating to the provision of service pursuant to the order issued by the Commission pursuant to this paragraph.

If the Commission determines that service is not available, the Commission may order the competitive supplier that received relief pursuant to this section to provide service to the - *AB174* – 5 – residential customer for a period specified by the Commission.

If a competitive supplier is ordered to provide service to a residential customer pursuant to this subsection, the competitive supplier maymayl satisfy its obligation pursuant to this subsection by providing an alt14.alternative voice service as provided in NRS 704.68881.

14.

- 83rd Session (2025) – 5 – (a) “Alternative voice service” means a retail voice service made available through any technology or service arrangement [other than satellite service] that provides:

H~~~~~ 25 - *AB174*83rd Session (2025)