BILL NUMBER: SB 932	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Bowen

                        FEBRUARY 25, 1999

   An act to add Section 2889.7 to the Public Utilities Code,
relating to telecommunications.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 932, as introduced, Bowen.  Telephone corporations:  service:
notice.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority with respect to telephone corporations.  Existing law
requires telephone corporations to provide specified customer and
subscriber services.
   This bill would require a telephone corporation that provides a
new telephone service or feature to subscribers to immediately notify
each subscriber in writing of that new service or feature.  The bill
would authorize a subscriber, within 5 days from the date that the
subscriber receives such a notice, to request the telephone
corporation to suspend the provision of any telephone service or
feature described in that notice, and would require the telephone
corporation, upon receipt of such a request, to suspend the provision
of the specified telephone service or feature.  The bill would
prohibit a telephone corporation from imposing any charge for the
suspension of a telephone service or feature.  The bill would also
prohibit a telephone corporation from imposing any charge for any
telephone service or feature that a subscriber does not use.  The
bill would require a telephone corporation to reimburse a subscriber
for any charge imposed by that corporation for the inadvertent or
unauthorized use of a telephone service or feature.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 2889.7 is added to the Public Utilities Code,
to read:
   2889.7.  (a) A telephone corporation that provides a new telephone
service or feature to subscribers shall immediately notify each
subscriber in writing of that new service or feature.
   (b) A subscriber, within five days from the date that the
subscriber receives a notice required pursuant to subdivision (a),
may request the telephone corporation to suspend the provision of any
telephone service or feature described in that notice.  The
telephone corporation, upon receipt of such a request, shall suspend
the provision of any telephone service or feature specified in the
request.   A telephone corporation may not impose any charge for the
suspension of a telephone service or feature pursuant to this
subdivision.
   (c) A telephone corporation may not impose any charge for a
telephone service or feature that a subscriber does not use.
   (d) A telephone corporation shall reimburse a subscriber for any
charge imposed by that corporation for the inadvertent or
unauthorized use of a telephone service or feature.