1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to telecommunications; allowing local 
  1.3             telephone companies to offer services at reduced or no 
  1.4             cost to schools and libraries; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 1995 Supplement, section 237.065. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1995 Supplement, section 
  1.8   237.065, is amended to read: 
  1.9      237.065 [RATES FOR SPECIAL SERVICE TO SCHOOLS.] 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [BASIC SERVICES.] Each telephone company, 
  1.11  including a company that has developed an incentive plan under 
  1.12  section 237.625, that provides local telephone service in a 
  1.13  service area that includes a school that has classes within the 
  1.14  range from kindergarten to 12th grade shall provide, upon 
  1.15  request, additional service to the school that is sufficient to 
  1.16  ensure access to basic telephone service from each classroom and 
  1.17  other areas within the school, as determined by the school 
  1.18  board.  Each company shall set a flat rate for this additional 
  1.19  service that is less than the company's flat rate for an access 
  1.20  line for a business and the same as or greater than the 
  1.21  company's flat rate for an access line for a residence in the 
  1.22  same local telephone service exchange.  When a company's flat 
  1.23  rates for businesses and residences are the same, the company 
  1.24  shall use the residential rate for service to schools under this 
  1.25  section.  The rate required under this section is available only 
  2.1   for a school that installs additional service that includes 
  2.2   access to basic telephone service from each classroom and other 
  2.3   areas within the school, as determined by the school board. 
  2.4      Subd. 2.  [BASIC AND ADVANCED TELECOMMUNICATION 
  2.5   SERVICES.] (a) Notwithstanding sections 237.09 and 237.14, each 
  2.6   telephone company and telecommunications carrier that provides 
  2.7   local telephone service in a service area that includes a school 
  2.8   that has classes within the range from kindergarten to 12th 
  2.9   grade or that includes a public library may provide, upon 
  2.10  request, basic and advanced telecommunication services at 
  2.11  reduced or no cost to that school or library.  A school or 
  2.12  library that receives telecommunication services at reduced or 
  2.13  no cost may not resell or sublease the services.  
  2.14     (b) For the purposes of this subdivision, school includes a 
  2.15  public school as defined in section 120.05, nonpublic school, 
  2.16  and a church or religious organization school if the school 
  2.17  complies with the education instruction and reporting 
  2.18  requirements of sections 120.101 and 120.102.