SB 83 Summary

• Exempts telecommunications utilities from most Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) regulations, except for provisions regarding carrier of last resort designations, inmate services, tariff filings, and rate uniformity requirements.

• Creates a new exempt service classification for utilities analyst masters employed by the RCA, limited to not more than five positions, under AS 39.25.110.

• Allows the RCA to designate eligible telecommunications carriers consistent with federal law (47 U.S.C. 214(e)) but prohibits designation of local exchange carriers or long distance companies as carriers of last resort.

• Requires incumbent local exchange carriers and competitive local exchange carriers to maintain uniform rates within their service areas for basic residential local telephone service, and requires long distance companies to geographically average residential rates.

• Repeals AS 42.05.325 and 42.05.810 and amends alternate operator service definitions to clarify that the RCA may regulate alternate operator service providers while maintaining disclosure requirements for consumers.