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Senate advances rewrite of Wyoming Telecommunications Act; votes to limit subsidies and remove contested prepaid wireless assessment
Summary
Senate File 51, a partial rewrite of the Wyoming Telecommunications Act that narrows universal‑service support and rejects a proposed prepaid‑wireless assessment, passed the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 24, 2025.
Senate File 51, a partial rewrite of the Wyoming Telecommunications Act, passed the Committee of the Whole after multi‑hour floor consideration and debate on Jan. 24, 2025.
The bill updates definitions, clarifies the commission’s jurisdiction over noncompetitive local exchange (legacy voice) services, and retains a universal‑service fund to subsidize high‑cost rural telephone service. Key policy changes adopted on the floor include limiting universal‑service support to a single line per physical location (previously multiple lines could receive support) and raising the subsidy benchmark from $30 to $40.
Floor debate focused heavily on a proposed mechanism to collect universal‑service contributions from prepaid wireless retail sales (effectively an added assessment on prepaid wireless retail transactions). Industry representatives and several senators raised concerns that the prepaid wireless charge would function as a tax on low‑income consumers who commonly use prepaid wireless plans. After division votes and extended discussion, senators rejected the standing committee proposal that would have imposed the prepaid‑wireless assessment and the related appropriation to the Department of Revenue to set up collections infrastructure.
Sponsor explanation stressed the bill is focused on legacy local exchange (voice) services that remain uncompetitive in parts of Wyoming and that the rewrite recognizes technological change while preserving a subsidy for locations where service remains costly. Supporters argued the $40 benchmark better reflects costs and narrows the universe eligible for support by making funding location‑specific.
Opponents cautioned about creating new collection burdens and urged careful review of who bears the cost. The Committee of the Whole adopted a committee amendment limiting support to the first line at a location and raising the benchmark; senators then declined to adopt the standing committee amendment that would have added prepaid wireless collection and a one‑time appropriation for revenue‑collection work.
The Committee of the Whole returned a favorable recommendation on the rewritten Telecommunications Act; the bill will proceed for further floor action.
