The Regulatory Mix

The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court, issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Regulatory Bulletin.

 

TELECOM

US Congress

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation resized 600Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announced it will convene its first hearing of the 114th Congress entitled, “Protecting the Internet and Consumers through Congressional Action” on January 21, 2015, at 2:30 p.m.  The hearing will feature non-government expert witnesses testifying about current authorities of the FCC and Congress’ options to update outdated laws for the Internet Age.  In connection with the announcement, Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) issued a statement saying he had identified the following eleven principles for bipartisan rules in the Internet Age: 

  • Prohibit blocking
  • Prohibit throttling
  • Prohibit paid prioritization
  • Require transparency
  • Apply rules to both wireline and wireless
  • Allow for reasonable network management
  • Allow for specialized services
  • Protect consumer choice
  • Classify broadband Internet access as an information service under the Communications Act
  • Clarify that Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act may not be used as a grant of regulatory authority
  • Direct the FCC to enforce and abide by these principles

Senator Thune went on to say that “Next Wednesday will be an opportunity to discuss and gather input from experts on ways Congress can focus on a solution that avoids saddling the Internet with an arcane regulatory framework designed for the monopoly phone era.”

On the House side, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology announced it has scheduled a hearing for the same day, January 21, 2015, at 10:00 a.m.  That hearing is also entitled, “Protecting the Internet and Consumers Through Congressional Action.”  Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), said his committee “will soon put forward a legislative plan that will protect consumers, promote innovation and investment, and provide legal certainty.  This hearing will show that the FCC cannot achieve that same certainty nor do they have authority to accomplish as much as Congress can through the legislative process.”  Just yesterday, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chairman John Thune (R-SD) co-authorized an editorial outlining principles of Internet rules of the road. See the Regulatory Mix dated 1/14/15.

 

Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Commission has established a procedural schedule in its docket considering the Oklahoma Universal Service Fund assessment factor for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015. The schedule is:

January 30, 2015        Last date for PUD Staff to issue discovery

February 12, 2015       PUD testimony due

March 16, 2015            Respondents’ testimony or Statement of Position due

March 25, 2015            Applicant’s rebuttal testimony, if any, due

April 9, 2015                 Hearing on the Merits