1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to telecommunications; modifying provisions relating to alternative 
1.3 	regulation plans;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 237.766, by adding 
1.4 	a subdivision.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 237.766, is amended by adding a 
1.7 	subdivision to read:
1.8 		Subd. 4.Joining an existing plan. (a) A telephone company may elect to opt 
1.9 	into another company's plan if:
1.10 	(1) the chosen plan is from a company that is larger than the electing company; or
1.11 	(2) the chosen plan is from an affiliated company; and
1.12 	(3) the plan is currently in effect.
1.13 	(b) A telephone company electing to enter an existing plan in lieu of proposing a 
1.14 	new plan must operate under the terms of that plan for at least three years. If the original 
1.15 	term of the existing plan was longer than three years, then the adopting company must 
1.16 	operate under the plan for that longer period.
1.17 	(c) A telephone company that desires to adopt an existing plan must give notice to 
1.18 	the commission at least 90 days prior to the proposed effective date of the adoption and to 
1.19 	its customers at least 60 days prior to the proposed effective date.
1.20 	(d) The Department of Commerce or the Office of the Attorney General may file an 
1.21 	objection to a telephone company that has previously operated under a plan from electing 
1.22 	to opt into the plan of another company if the electing company is not in substantial 
1.23 	compliance with the service quality provisions or has not met the infrastructure obligations 
1.24 	of its plan.
2.1 	(e) If a telephone company has not previously operated under an alternative 
2.2 	regulation plan, the rates for its price-regulated services must be capped for the first three 
2.3 	years at the rates in effect at the time of opt in, except for any plan provisions that address 
2.4 	exogenous changes.
2.5 	(f) Within 30 days of the electing company filing notice to the commission, 
2.6 	interested parties may file comments identifying any aspect of the adoption that the party 
2.7 	believes is contrary to the public interest. Reply comments may be filed within 45 days 
2.8 	following the notice to the commission. The commission shall accept the adoption unless 
2.9 	it finds adoption of the existing plan by the electing telephone company is not in the public 
2.10 	interest, in which case it may reject or modify the election to opt into the provisions of 
2.11 	the existing plan. If the commission modifies the election, the electing company may 
2.12 	withdraw its proposed adoption of the existing plan by filing notice with the commission 
2.13 	within 30 days of the commission's modification order.

2.14 	Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 2.15 	Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.