General Assembly Passes Bill Protecting Telephone Landlines

AARP Applauds Legislature, Calls on Governor Rauner to Sign Telecommunications Act Into Law

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Jun 02, 2015, 03:11 ET

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., June 2, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Illinoisans who use, and depend on, traditional landline telephones will be able to keep them for at least two more years thanks to a piece of legislation passed by the Illinois General Assembly. Senate Bill 96 – the Telecommunications Act – passed the Senate unanimously and the House by a 94-15 margin.

The legislation allows one million Illinois households to maintain access to traditional, copper wire landline telephones until 2017, allowing consumers to transition towards new technologies. Additionally, the legislation creates a protection for consumers who would like to stay on basic, "no-frills" contracts with telephone providers. AARP, on behalf of its 1.7 million Illinois members, thanks the sponsors of the bill in both chambers for their leadership and urges Gov. Rauner to sign SB96 into law.

"Landlines are lifelines for hundreds of thousands of older adults, working families, rural households and individuals on medical devices who require access to a traditional landline telephone," said AARP Illinois State Director, Bob Gallo. "AARP thanks State Senator John M. Sullivan and State Reps. Brandon W. Phelps and John E. Bradley for sponsoring and securing passage of SB96, and urges Gov. Rauner to sign into law this important consumer measure."

Among the key provisions of SB96, the bill:

Allows households to keep their traditional, copper wire-based landlines until July 1, 2017, when the Act sunsets, as a measure to transition towards new, reliable technologies.
Allows users of basic, "no frills" telephone packages to keep their packages under a Safe Harbor provision until July 1, 2017.
Allows new customers who want to enter into a "no frills" contract to be protected under the Safe Harbor provision if they meet a means test at 135% of the federal poverty line.

"Choice is a necessary provision for all consumers. We applaud the Telecommunications Act for ensuring that consumers who only want a basic, no frills, telephone package can keep it and save money they will need to meet other critical expenses," Gallo added.

SOURCE AARP Illinois