HB155 Alabama 2014 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Mike Hill
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2014
Title: Public Service Commission, telecommunication services, retail services, complaints procedure not to apply, Sec. 37-2A-4 am'd.
Summary: HB155 would narrow the Public Service Commission's control over most retail telecommunications, shifting many complaints and regulatory duties to federal rules and market contracts while preserving limited oversight in select areas and adding unbundling and confidentiality requirements.
What This Bill Does
It states the Public Service Commission cannot regulate broadband, broadband-enabled services, VoIP, or information services. It allows limited unbundling of networks to the FCC standard and clarifies related duties under federal laws. It keeps the PSC's complaint role for certain billing and service-setup issues even for services no longer under full PSC jurisdiction, and outlines timelines where the PSC stops regulating new bundled or contract offerings but may regulate existing ones; it delays broad regulation of basic telephone service to a future date and requires confidentiality plans for family-violence shelters, with an option for carriers to elect out of PSC complaint jurisdiction.

Who It Affects
Consumers of retail telecommunications services in Alabama, who may see fewer PSC protections for most retail services and the shift of some complaint handling to contract terms and federal rules, while retaining limited PSC review for specific billing and service-setup issues.
Telecommunication carriers (including incumbent local exchange carriers) operating in Alabama, who must follow FCC-like unbundling rules, may elect to remove themselves from PSC complaint jurisdiction, and must continue to follow designated complaint processes for remaining issues; carriers must implement confidentiality plans for family-violence shelters and comply with evolving regulatory requirements.

Key Provisions
(a) PSC cannot regulate broadband, broadband-enabled services, VoIP, or information services.
(b) PSC may require network unbundling but not beyond FCC standards; preserves certain federal duties related to 251/252/271 and arbitration; does not affect wholesale tariffs or federal rights.
(c) PSC retains exclusive complaint jurisdiction for certain retail issues (e.g., inaccurate billing, billing not ordered, establishment/disruption of service) and may use mediation; enforces Truth in Billing per FCC rules; limits participation to customer, their representative, carrier, and Attorney General.
(d) Beginning Aug 1, 2006, no PSC regulation of costs/terms of new bundled offerings; may regulate existing bundled offerings.
(e) Beginning Aug 1, 2006, no PSC regulation of costs/terms of new contract offerings; retains jurisdiction over existing contracts for their duration unless agreed otherwise.
(f) Beginning Feb 1, 2007, PSC will regulate basic telephone service and optional features as described in 37-2A-8.
(g) Beginning Feb 1, 2007, PSC shall not regulate most retail telecom services or existing bundled offerings or their facilities, except as provided in (e), (f), and Section 37-2A-7.
(h) Tariffs for remaining services stay in effect until jurisdiction ends; carriers must notify the PSC when tariffs expire or are replaced.
(i) PSC cannot impose reporting or accounting requirements beyond FCC levels.
(j) Pre-2006 confidentiality plans for protecting family-violence shelter locations must be filed, updated every 24 months, approved by the PSC, and shared with the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence; plans are not public.
(k) After the act, carriers may file to remove themselves from PSC complaint jurisdiction immediately, with changes allowed once per year.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Public Service Commission