Sec. 4. (a) As used in this section, "committee" means the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications established by IC 2-5-1.3-4.
(b) The commission shall, by July 1 of each year, report to the committee in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6 on the following:
(1) The effects of competition and technological change on universal service and on pricing of all telecommunications services offered in Indiana.
(2) The status of competition and technological change in the provision of video service (as defined in IC 8-1-34-14) available to Indiana customers, as including the following information:
(A) The number of multichannel video programming distributors offering video service to Indiana customers.
(B) The technologies used to provide video service to Indiana customers.
(C) The advertised programming and pricing options offered by video service providers to Indiana customers.
(3) Best practices concerning vertical location of underground facilities for purposes of IC 8-1-26. A report under this subdivision must address the viability and economic feasibility of technologies used to vertically locate underground facilities.
(c) In addition to reviewing the commission report prepared under subsection (b), the committee may also issue a report and recommendations to the legislative council by November 1 of each year that is based on a review of the following issues:
(1) The effects of competition and technological change in the telecommunications industry and impact of competition on available subsidies used to maintain universal service.
(2) The status of modernization of the publicly available telecommunications infrastructure in Indiana and the incentives required to further enhance this infrastructure.
(3) The effects on economic development and educational opportunities of the modernization described in subdivision (2).
(4) The current methods of regulating providers, at both the federal and state levels, and the effectiveness of the methods.
(5) The economic and social effectiveness of current telecommunications service pricing.
(6) All other telecommunications issues the committee deems appropriate.
The report and recommendations issued under this subsection to the legislative council must be in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6.
(d) The committee shall, with the approval of the commission, retain the independent consultants the committee considers appropriate to assist the committee in the review and study. The expenses for the consultants shall be paid by the commission.
As added by P.L.92-1985, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.23-1988, SEC.33; P.L.55-1992, SEC.1; P.L.224-2003, SEC.277; P.L.28-2004, SEC.71; P.L.27-2006, SEC.20; P.L.62-2009, SEC.1; P.L.256-2013, SEC.6; P.L.241-2013, SEC.1; P.L.53-2014, SEC.76; P.L.177-2021, SEC.4.