Amends and adds to existing law to revise provisions regarding the discontinuation of telecommunication service.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 674 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AN ACT1 RELATING TO DISCONTINUANCE OF TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICE; AMENDING SECTION2 62-612, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE PROVISIONS REGARDING RESTRICTIONS ON3 WITHDRAWAL OR DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICE AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORREC-4 TIONS; AMENDING CHAPTER 6, TITLE 62, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A5 NEW SECTION 62-612A, IDAHO CODE, TO ESTABLISH PROVISIONS REGARDING DIS-6 CONTINUANCE OF SERVICE PURSUANT TO FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION7 PROCEDURES; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.8

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:9

SECTION 1. That Section 62-612, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby10 amended to read as follows:11 62-612. RESTRICTION ON WITHDRAWAL OR DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICE. (1) A12 telephone corporation subject to this chapter which that provides basic lo-13 cal exchange or message telecommunication service, may not withdraw or oth-14 erwise discontinue such service to a local exchange area unless: one or more15 alternative telephone corporations are furnishing the respective telecom-16 munication service or equivalent service to the customers in such local ex-17 change area at the time such service is withdrawn or otherwise discontinued.18 (a) Such discontinuance is in accordance with the provisions of section19 62-612A, Idaho Code; or20 (b) One (1) or more alternative telephone corporations are furnishing21 the respective telecommunication service or equivalent service to the22 customers in such local exchange area at the time such service is with-23 drawn or otherwise discontinued.24 (2) A telephone corporation proposing to withdraw or otherwise discon-25 tinue the services set forth in service to a local exchange area pursuant to26 subsection (1)(b) of this section to a local exchange area shall file a no-27 tice of such withdrawal or discontinuance of service with the commission and28 shall publish a notice of such withdrawal in a legal newspaper circulated29 within the local exchange area, and provide such other reasonable notice as30 may be required by the commission.31 (3) Any person or telephone corporation affected by a withdrawal or32 discontinuance of such services by a telephone corporation subject to this33 chapter, may, within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of the34 notice, apply to the commission to determine whether such withdrawal or dis-35 continuance of service is authorized pursuant to this section.36

SECTION 2. That Chapter 6, Title 62, Idaho Code, be, and the same is37 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-38 ignated as Section 62-612A, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:39

2 62-612A. DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICE PURSUANT TO FEDERAL COMMUNICA-1 TIONS COMMISSION PROCEDURES. If the federal communications commission2 permits a telephone corporation to discontinue service under 47 U.S.C.3 214(a) or other applicable provisions of federal law, the Idaho public4 utilities commission shall recognize and adopt the federal communications5 commission's discontinuance findings.6

SECTION 3. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby7 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after8 July 1, 2026.9