,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #deeg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,may #ah1 #bjbf,mr4    
,lujn introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,comm]ce1 ,sci5ce1 & ,transportation  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to require telephone provid]s1
 cable television provid]s1 direct      
broadca/ satellite s]vice provid]s1 &   
int]net provid]s to automatically refund
 _! cu/om]s :5 _! s]vices are n work+1 &
 = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is  
,act may be cit$ z ! ,outage ,refund    
,protection ,act4  #b4 ,def9itions ,9   
?is ,act3 7#a7 ,cable provid] ,! t]m    
cable provid] means a provid] ( cable   
s]vice1 z def9$ 9 section #c ( !        
,communications ,act ( #aicd 7#dg       
,u4,s4,c4 #aec71 ) m ?an #e1jjj cu/om]s4
  7#b7 ,,dbs provid] ,! t]m ,,dbs       
provid] has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m provid] (
 direct broadca/ satellite s]vice 9     
section #cce ( ! ,communications ,act ( 
#aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #cce7 except t su* 
provid] %all h m ?an #e1jjj cu/om]s4    

7#c7 ,int]net provid] ,! t]m int]net    
provid] means a provid] ( broadb&       
int]net access s]vice1 z def9$ 9 section
 #hja ( ! ,communications ,act ( #aicd  
7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #fda71 ) m ?an #e1jjj    
cu/om]s4  7#d7 ,telephone provid] ,! t]m
 telephone provid] means-- 7,a7 a       
wireless c>ri]1 z def9$ 9 section #g ( !
 ,wireless ,communications & ,public    
,safety ,act ( #aiii 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4     
#fae;b71 ) m ?an #e1jjj cu/om]s2  7,b7 a
 wirel9e telephone s]vice provid] ) m   
?an #e1jjj cu/om]s2 &  7,c7 an          
int]connect$ or non-int]connect$ ,vo,i,p
 s]vice1 z def9$ 9 section #c ( !       
,communications ,act ( #aicd 7#dg       
,u4,s4,c4 #aec71 ) m ?an #e1jjj cu/om]s4
  #c4 ,refunds  7a7 ,cable s]vices  7#a7
 ,9 g5]al ,a cable provid] %all         
automatically cr$it ! bill+ /atem5t ( a 
cu/om] if-- 7,a7 ! cable s]vice ( !     
cable provid] is unavailable or is      
exp]i5c+ an outage or :5 ! equipm5t     
provid$ to ! cu/om] by ! cable provid]  
to enable use ( ! cable s]vice1 includ+ 

any s(tw>e conta9$ 9 or d[nload$ to !   
equipm5t is n op]at+ correctly1 = a     
p]iod ( #d h\rs or m2 or  7,b7 ! cu/om] 
t]m9ates ! cable s]vice ( ! cable       
provid]4  7#b7 ,cr$its ,if requir$ "u   
p>agraph 7#a71 a cr$it %all be          
automatically issu$ to ! cu/om] = #a_/cj
 ( ! mon?ly rate = ea* day ! cu/om] is n
 able to access ! cable television      
network = a p]iod ( #d h\rs or m4  7#c7 
,refund  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,if a cu/om]     
t]m9ates cable s]vice ) a cable provid]1
 any cr$it issu$ "u ?is section t exce$s
 ! am\nt due on a bill+ /atem5t %all be 
issu$ to ! cu/om] n lat] ?an #cj days   
aft] ! date ( ! outage 9 ! =m ( a *eck 9
 ! cu/om]'s "n1 or by issuance ( a      
no-fee prepaid debit c>d1 or by         
electronic transf]1 at ! election ( !   
cu/om]1 9 ! am\nt su* cr$it exce$s su*  
am\nt due4  7,b7 ,exception ,a cable    
provid] %all n be requir$ to issue a    
refund "u subp>agraph 7,a7 if ! am\nt ( 
! refund exce$s ! co/ ( disbursem5t "u  
all me?ods p]mitt$ "u ?is section4 ,a   

cable provid] may re/rict ! refund      
me?ods a cu/om] c elect to ! me?ods by  
:i* ! am\nt ( refund exce$s ! co/ (     
disbursem5t4  7b7 ,satellite s]vices    
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a ,,dbs provid] %all     
automatically cr$it ! bill+ /atem5t ( a 
cu/om] if-- 7,a7 ! satellite s]vice ( ! 
,,dbs provid] is unavailable or is      
exp]i5c+ an outage or :5 ! cu/om]'s     
satellite is n op]at+ correctly1 = a    
p]iod ( #d h\rs or m2 or  7,b7 ! cu/om] 
t]m9ates ! satellite s]vice ( ! ,,dbs   
provid]4  7#b7 ,cr$its ,if requir$ "u   
p>agraph 7#a71 a cr$it %all be          
automatically issu$ to ! cu/om] = #a_/cj
 ( ! mon?ly rate = ea* day ! cu/om] is n
 able to access ! satellite television  
network = a p]iod ( #d h\rs or m4  7#c7 
,refund  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,if a cu/om]     
t]m9ates satellite s]vice ) a ,,dbs     
provid]1 any cr$it issu$ "u ?is section 
t exce$s ! am\nt due on a bill+ /atem5t 
%all be issu$ to ! cu/om] n lat] ?an #cj
 days aft] ! date ( ! outage 9 ! =m ( a 
*eck 9 ! cu/om]'s "n1 or by issuance ( a

 no-fee prepaid debit c>d1 or by        
electronic transf]1 at ! election ( !   
cu/om]1 9 ! am\nt su* cr$it exce$s su*  
am\nt due4  7,b7 ,exception ,a ,,dbs    
provid] %all n be requir$ to issue a    
refund "u subp>agraph 7,a7 if ! am\nt ( 
! refund exce$s ! co/ ( disbursem5t "u  
all me?ods p]mitt$ "u ?is section4 ,a   
,,dbs provid] may re/rict ! refund      
me?ods a cu/om] c elect to ! me?ods by  
:i* ! am\nt ( refund exce$s ! co/ (     
disbursem5t4  7c7 ,int]net s]vices  7#a7
 ,9 g5]al ,an int]net provid] %all      
automatically cr$it ! bill+ /atem5t ( a 
cu/om] if ! broadb& int]net access      
s]vice ( ! int]net provid] is out (     
s]vice or is exp]i5c+ an outage1 = a    
p]iod ( #d h\rs or m4  7#b7 ,cr$its ,if 
requir$ "u p>agraph 7#a71 a cr$it %all  
be automatically issu$ = #a_/cj ( !     
mon?ly rate = ea* day ! broadb& int]net 
access s]vice is unavailable = a p]iod (
 #d h\rs or m4  7#c7 ,refund  7,a7 ,9   
g5]al ,if a cu/om] t]m9ates broadb&     
int]net access s]vice ) an int]net      

provid]1 any cr$it issu$ "u ?is section 
t exce$s ! am\nt due on a bill+ /atem5t 
%all be issu$ to ! cu/om] n lat] ?an #cj
 days aft] ! date ( ! outage 9 ! =m ( a 
*eck 9 ! cu/om]'s "n1 or by issuance ( a
 no-fee prepaid debit c>d1 or by        
electronic transf]1 at ! election ( !   
cu/om]1 9 ! am\nt su* cr$it exce$s su*  
am\nt due4  7,b7 ,exception ,an int]net 
provid] %all n be requir$ to issue a    
refund "u subp>agraph 7,a7 if ! am\nt ( 
! refund exce$s ! co/ ( disbursem5t "u  
all me?ods p]mitt$ "u ?is section4 ,an  
int]net provid] may re/rict ! refund    
me?ods a cu/om] c elect to ! me?ods by  
:i* ! am\nt ( refund exce$s ! co/ (     
disbursem5t4  7d7 ,telephone s]vices    
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a telephone provid] %all 
automatically cr$it ! bill+ /atem5t ( a 
cu/om] on a p]-l9e basis if ! telephone 
s]vice ( ! telephone provid] is out (   
s]vice or is exp]i5c+ an outage1 = a    
p]iod ( #d h\rs or m4  7#b7 ,cr$its ,if 
requir$ "u p>agraph 7#a71 a cr$it %all  
be automatically issu$ = #a_/cj ( !     

mon?ly rate = ea* day ! cu/om] is n able
 to access telephone s]vice ( !         
telephone provid] = a p]iod ( #d h\rs or
 m4  7#c7 ,refund  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,if a  
cu/om] t]m9ates telephone s]vice ) a    
telephone provid]1 any cr$it issu$ "u   
?is section t exce$s ! am\nt due on a   
bill+ /atem5t %all be issu$ to ! cu/om] 
n lat] ?an #cj days aft] ! date ( !     
outage 9 ! =m ( a *eck 9 ! cu/om]'s "n1 
or by issuance ( a no-fee prepaid debit 
c>d1 or by electronic transf]1 at !     
election ( ! cu/om]1 9 ! am\nt su* cr$it
 exce$s su* am\nt due4  7,b7 ,exception 
,a telephone provid] %all n be requir$  
to issue a refund "u subp>agraph 7,a7 if
 ! am\nt ( ! refund exce$s ! co/ (      
disbursem5t "u all me?ods p]mitt$ "u ?is
 section4 ,a telephone provid] may      
re/rict ! refund me?ods a cu/om] c elect
 to ! me?ods by :i* ! am\nt ( refund    
exce$s ! co/ ( disbursem5t4  7e7        
,pre-,plann$ ma9t5ance ,subsections 7a7 
?r\gh 7d7 %all n apply to s]vice outages
 = pre-plann$ ma9t5ance = :i* ! provid] 

has in=m$ ! affect$ cu/om]s 9 advance t 
s]vice w be unavailable4  7f7 ,en=cem5t 
,n lat] ?an #ah mon?s aft] ! date (     
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,f$]al           
,communications ,commission %all issue  
rules implem5t+ ! requirem5ts "u ?is    
section1 includ+ p5alties = failure to  
comply4  7g7 ,preemption ,no?+ 9 ?is    
section or 9 ! regulations prescrib$ "u 
?is section %all preempt any ,/ate law t
 imposes m re/rictive intra/ate         
requirem5ts or regulations4  #d4 ,cu/om]
 s]vice improvem5ts  7a7 ,9 g5]al  7#a7 
,f$]al ,communications ,commission ,n   
lat] ?an #ah mon?s aft] ! date (        
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,f$]al           
,communications ,commission %all issue  
rules to require t ea* telephone        
provid]1 cable provid]1 ,,dbs provid]1 &
 int]net provid]-- 7,a7 ext5d cable     
cu/om] s]vice requirem5ts to direct     
broadca/ satellite1 voice1 & broadb&    
s]vice1 z applicable1 includ+ by mak+   
cu/om] s]vice accessible = ^? )         
disabilities2  7,b7 ma9ta9 record+s (   

cu/om] s]vice calls = n less ?an #a ye> 
& release a record+ ( a cu/om] s]vice   
call to a cu/om] or ! cu/om]'s ag5t1 ^u 
reque/2 &  7,c7 n associate any fee ) ! 
option to receive a call f a cu/om]     
s]vice repres5tative at su* "t z a      
repres5tative becomes available4  7#b7  
,f$]al ,trade ,commission  7,a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,n lat] ?an #ah mon?s aft] ! date (    
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,f$]al ,trade    
,commission %all issue rules ) respect  
to telephone provid]s1 cable provid]s1  
,,dbs provid]s1 & int]net provid]s to-- 
7i7 implem5t /&>ds = miss$ s]vice       
appo9tm5ts2 &  7ii7 assess ! burd5 (    
return+ equipm5t = ^? ) disabilities or 
individuals :o d n drive & if1 9 !      
det]m9ation ( ! ,f$]al ,trade           
,commission1 ! burd5 is suffici5tly     
high1 require ! provid] to (f] alt]nate 
means ( return at no extra co/ to su*   
individuals4  7,b7 ,injunction au?ority 
,! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission %all h     
au?ority "u section #ac7;b7 ( ! ,f$]al  
,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4  

#ec7;b77 to seek a prelim9>y or p]man5t 
injunctions to en=ce any requirem5t "u  
subp>agraph 7,a74  7b7 ,rule (          
con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is section %all    
prohibit a ,/ate1 or subdivision ( a    
,/ate1 f impos+ requirem5ts high] ?an or
 9 addition to ! requirem5ts impos$     
pursuant to ?is section4  #e4 ,s]vice   
outages ,z soon z possible foll[+ !     
activation ( ! ,disa/] ,in=mation       
,report+ ,sy/em describ$ 9 section #d4ah
 ( title #dg1 ,code ( ,f$]al            
,regulations1 or any successor          
regulation1 ea* broadb& int]net s]vice  
provid] %all report s]vice outages )9 ! 
area ( activation to ! ,f$]al           
,communications ,commission & %all      
include broadb& int]net access s]vice   
outage in=mation 9 ea* public report "u 
! ,disa/] ,in=mation ,report+ ,sy/em4