S. 2241(Alesi)/A. 4446(Vann)

STAFF CONTACT :

518.465.7517

BILL

S. 2241(Alesi)/A. 4446(Vann)

SUBJECT

Telephone Corporations SAPA Changes

DATE

Support

The Business Council of New York State would like to express its strong support for the aforementioned legislation. This legislation would amend Chapter 416 of the Laws of 1998 relating to changes in schedules filed by telephone corporations in accordance with the State Administrative Procedures Act (SAPA). The law is set to expire on March 1, 2001.

In 1998, the Legislature recognized that competitive developments in the telecommunications marketplace required adjustments to SAPA. New York was leading the nation in opening the local telephone market to competition. Unfortunately, there where inconsistencies in the SAPA statute that placed certain companies at a disadvantage in the offering of local exchange service.

As a result, the legislature passed a broad exemption for schedules filed by telephone corporations. The new law created a level playing field for all telephone carriers in this market with respect to such filings.

It is The Business Council's belief that the marketplace has benefitted from this change. The telephone carriers have been able to make new products and services available to consumers on a more timely basis as a result of the 1998 law. In the end consumers of such products and services are better able to take advantage of these offerings.

For the above stated reasons The Business Council strongly supports S.2241 and asks that it be acted upon favorably.