HB 1525 Summary

• Amends the Telecommunications Regulatory Reform Act of 1997 to add legislative findings recognizing the importance of broadband infrastructure deployment to Arkansas's economic, educational, health, and social interests.

• Acknowledges that the Arkansas High Cost Fund (AHCF) has enabled eligible telecommunications carriers to expand broadband and advanced services in rural and high-cost areas, making services available to thousands of previously unserved Arkansans.

• Establishes procedures for calculating AHCF support for eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) with fewer than 15,000 lines or customers, including a requirement for the Arkansas Public Service Commission to open rule-making dockets if regulatory changes eliminate calculation elements.

• Caps total AHCF funding at $22,000,000 per year with administrative costs deducted first, and implements size-based distribution caps ranging from 2% to 71% of the total capped fund depending on carrier size.

• Changes language from "will" to "shall" regarding support determinations for ETCs with 500,000 or more lines, and clarifies the Arkansas Public Service Commission's role in considering differences between large and small incumbent local exchange carriers when promulgating rules.