1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to utilities; expanding the telephone 
  1.3             assistance program to provide assistance to low-income 
  1.4             families with children; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.5             1996, section 237.70, subdivisions 4a and 6. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 237.70, 
  1.8   subdivision 4a, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 4a.  [HOUSEHOLDS ELIGIBLE FOR CREDITS.] The telephone 
  1.10  assistance plan must provide telephone assistance credit for a 
  1.11  residential household in Minnesota that meets each of the 
  1.12  following criteria: 
  1.13     (1) has a household member who: 
  1.14     (i) subscribes to local exchange service; and 
  1.15     (ii) (i) has at least one member who is either disabled or 
  1.16  65 years of age or older; or 
  1.17     (ii) has at least one member who is 18 years of age or 
  1.18  under; and 
  1.19     (2) whose household income is 150 percent or less of 
  1.20  federal poverty guidelines or is currently eligible for: 
  1.21     (i) aid to families with dependent children; 
  1.22     (ii) medical assistance; 
  1.23     (iii) general assistance; 
  1.24     (iv) Minnesota supplemental aid; 
  1.25     (v) food stamps; 
  2.1      (vi) refugee cash assistance or refugee medical assistance; 
  2.2      (vii) energy assistance; or 
  2.3      (viii) supplemental security income; and 
  2.4      (3) who has been certified as eligible for telephone 
  2.5   assistance plan credits. 
  2.6      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 237.70, 
  2.7   subdivision 6, is amended to read: 
  2.8      Subd. 6.  [FUNDING.] The commission shall provide for the 
  2.9   funding of the telephone assistance plan by assessing a uniform 
  2.10  recurring monthly surcharge, not to exceed ten 20 cents per 
  2.11  access line, applicable to all classes and grades of access 
  2.12  lines provided by each telephone company in the state, including 
  2.13  trunk equivalents as designated by the commission for access 
  2.14  charge purposes, and including cellular and other nonwire access 
  2.15  services.