2013 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 58 - Public Utilities, Services and Carriers
CHAPTER 9 - TELEPHONE, TELEGRAPH AND EXPRESS COMPANIES
SECTION 58-9-2530. Funding; telephone surcharge; relay service user charges.

(A) The commission may require all local exchange telephone companies operating in this State to impose a monthly charge not to exceed twenty-five cents on all residential and business local exchange access facilities as necessary to fund the establishment and operation of a dual party relay system and a distribution system of TTY's and other related telecommunications devices in this State. The amount of the charge must be determined by the commission based upon the amount of funding necessary to accomplish the purposes of this article and provide dual party telephone relay services on a continuous basis. If assessed, the local exchange companies shall collect the charge from their customers and transfer the monies collected to the operating fund, which must be administered by the Office of Regulatory Staff. The charge collected and remitted by the local exchange companies is not subject to any tax, fee, or assessment, nor may it be considered revenue of the local exchange companies. The commission may provide for the funding of the dual party relay system through contributions from other sources. The fund must be established, invested, and managed for the exclusive purpose of implementing the provisions of this article according to regulations promulgated by the commission.

(B) Monies in the operating fund must also include appropriations made by the General Assembly for the purpose of this chapter, grants from other governmental or private entities, and contributions or donations received by the commission for the dual party relay service. All monies in the operating fund must be used solely for the administration and operation of a statewide program to provide telecommunications access to persons who are speech and hearing impaired or similarly impaired.

(C) The users of the relay service must be charged for telephone services, including any authorized commission charge, without additional charges for the use of the relay service. The calling or called party shall bear an expense for making intrastate nonlocal calls considered approved by the commission as being equitable in comparison with non-TDD or DPR service customers.

HISTORY: 1990 Act No. 488, Section 2, eff May 30, 1990; 1996 Act No. 426, Section 16, eff June 18, 1996; 2006 Act No. 318, Section 71, eff May 24, 2006.