Maryland Public Utility Companies Section 8-201

      (a)      (1)      In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

            (2)      "Eligible subscriber" means an individual who is certified to the local telephone company in whose service area the individual is applying for service by the Department of Human Resources as receiving assistance under Article 88A, §§ 44A through 53 of the Code, receiving State-funded public assistance benefits, or receiving Supplemental Security Income under Title XVI of the federal Social Security Act.

            (3)      "Telephone lifeline service" means a local telephone service provided to eligible subscribers that, at a discount, provides an individual residential local exchange dial access line plus the first 30 residential local untimed messages per billing month.

      (b)      A local telephone company with more than 10,000 subscribers shall offer telephone lifeline service to eligible subscribers subject to the following conditions:

            (1)      no other local voice telephone service may be provided to the dwelling unit of the eligible subscriber applying for telephone lifeline service;

            (2)      except for tone signaling capability, premium services, including foreign zone or foreign exchange service, are not provided to the eligible subscriber; and

            (3)      an inside wiring maintenance plan is not provided to the eligible subscriber.

      (c)      (1)      The rate that a telephone company charges for telephone lifeline service shall be 50% of the lowest applicable and approved federal and State tariff rates for an individual residential local exchange dial access line and for residential local untimed messages per month, less any waivers of federal tariff provisions applicable to eligible customers allowed by federal statute, order, rule, or regulation, plus all applicable federal, State, and local taxes and fees.

            (2)      (i)      If an eligible subscriber elects to subscribe to tone signaling capability, the rate charged shall be 50% of the applicable and approved federal and State tariff rates for this service, plus all applicable federal, State, and local taxes.

                  (ii)      For an eligible subscriber, repairs to inside wiring will be charged at 50% of the applicable filed tariff.

            (3)      (i)      Whenever initial installation or connection of service is required, the rate charged shall be 50% of the applicable and approved federal and State tariff charges for the installation and connection of residential dial access service to one terminating location within the eligible subscriber's dwelling unit, plus all applicable federal, State, and local taxes.

                  (ii)      Custom installation or construction charges shall be charged at the applicable approved federal and State tariff rates.

            (4)      (i)      A telephone company may not require the payment of an order processing charge or line change charge for an eligible subscriber's change to telephone lifeline service from any other class of residential service.

                  (ii)      A subscriber to telephone lifeline service who no longer qualifies as an eligible subscriber may not be charged a fee for disconnecting from telephone lifeline service and connecting to another class of telephone service.

            (5)      All other services provided to eligible subscribers, including all local messages after the first 30 within a given billing month, shall be charged at the applicable and approved federal and State tariff rates.

      (d)      (1)      A telephone company may not request a deposit to secure payment in connection with the initial installation or connection of telephone lifeline service.

            (2)      An eligible subscriber applying for service may be denied service if the eligible subscriber:

                  (i)      has an outstanding unpaid net telephone debt of $100 or more for prior telephone service; and

                  (ii)      has not established a reasonable payment plan to satisfy the debt.

            (3)      An eligible subscriber may not be denied service if the eligible subscriber has an outstanding unpaid net telephone debt of less than $100 for prior telephone service.