Ky. PSC Loses Retail Phone Service Authority
The Kentucky legislature stripped Public Service Commission of authority over retail phone service in all exchanges. The Kentucky House voted 79-13 to pass SB-10 Tuesday, after the Senate passed it 35-1 Feb. 24. In all exchanges after Sept. 1, the…
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PSC “shall not impose any requirements or otherwise regulate the terms, conditions, rates, or availability of any retail service of the modifying utility.” The legislature previously deregulated exchanges with 15,000 or more housing units. The PSC maintains jurisdiction over wholesale service and complaints about anti-competitive practices under state and federal law, the bill said. The measure still requires signoff by the governor. The Kentucky PSC didn’t take a position on the bill, a commission spokesman said Wednesday. He said the measure deregulates larger carriers but the commission will retain authority over the basic phone services of rural local exchange carriers including small phone companies and cooperatives. Also, the commission will still be able to act on complaints for all types of carriers related to billing, slamming and cramming, he said.