Sec. 16-247q. Education outreach program for telecommunications competition, scope. Consumer Education Advisory Council established. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 16-247q. Education outreach program for telecommunications competition, scope. Consumer Education Advisory Council established. (a) Not later than January 1, 2001, the Department of Public Utility Control shall, in conjunction with the Office of Consumer Counsel, implement a comprehensive public education outreach program to educate customers about the implementation of competition among certified telecommunications providers, as defined in section 16-1, providing intrastate telecommunications services. The goals of the program shall be to maximize public information, minimize customer confusion and enable all customers to participate in a competitive environment. The program shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Dissemination of information through mass media, interactive approaches and written materials with the goal of reaching every telephone customer; (2) conduct of public forums in different geographical areas of the state to foster public input and provide opportunities for an exchange of questions and answers; (3) involvement of community-based organizations in developing messages and in devising and implementing education strategies; (4) targeted efforts to reach rural, low income, elderly, foreign language, disabled, ethnic minority and other traditionally underserved populations; and (5) periodic evaluations of the effectiveness of educational efforts. The department shall assign one individual within the department to coordinate the outreach program and oversee the education process. Reasonable costs incurred by the department to develop and implement the education outreach program shall be recovered from certified telecommunications providers and telephone companies other than telephone companies serving fewer than seventy-five thousand customers in the manner provided in section 16-49.

      (b) There shall be established a Consumer Education Advisory Council which shall advise the department on the development and implementation of the outreach program. Membership of the advisory council shall be established by the Office of Consumer Counsel not later than September 1, 2000, and shall include, but not be limited to, representatives of the Department of Public Utility Control, the Office of Consumer Counsel, the office of the Attorney General, the Office of Policy and Management, community and business organizations, consumer groups, including, but not limited to, a group that represents hardship cases, as defined in section 16-262c, telephone companies and certified telecommunications providers. The advisory council shall determine the information to be distributed to customers as part of the education effort. The advisory council shall advise the outreach program coordinator on the methods of distributing information in accordance with subsection (a) of this section and the timing of such distribution. The advisory council shall meet on a regular basis and report to the outreach program coordinator as it deems appropriate.

      (P.A. 99-222, S. 8, 19; P.A. 00-53, S. 4.)

      History: P.A. 99-222 effective June 29, 1999; P.A. 00-53 amended Subsec. (a) by changing "2000" to "2001".