Substitute Bill No. 5446 Summary

• Expands the definition of "communications services provider" to include telephone companies, wireless carriers, satellite providers, and other telecommunications entities, making them subject to gross earnings tax effective October 1, 2024.

• Establishes a 5% quarterly tax on gross earnings from communications services provided through landline, wireless, or satellite facilities, with reductions for certain regulatory assessments and community access operation fees.

• Segregates $3.2 million annually from communications services provider tax revenue to fund Connecticut Television Network coverage of state government proceedings and public policy events.

• Creates funding mechanism for community access television operations based on fiscal year 2015 subscriber fee amounts, adjusted annually by consumer price index with authority discretion to increase or decrease by up to 40%.

• Directs the Office of Consumer Counsel to develop a plan by November 15, 2024, for a Connecticut Internet for All Program providing financial assistance to low-income households for broadband subscriptions, funded by the expanded communications services tax.