H.R. 1289 — what changed

changed This Act may be cited as the “Preserving Home and Office Numbers in Emergencies Act of 2019”.2020” or the “PHONE Act of 2020”.

“(4) Moratorium on number reassignment after disaster declaration

changed “(A) In general—During a covered period with respect to an area, general—In the case of a number assigned in such area may not be reassigned, and to a subscriber for the assignment provision of such number may not be rescinded or otherwise modified, except fixed wireline voice service at the request of the subscriber to which such number is assigned.a location in a designated area during a covered period—

changed “(B) Extension at request of subscriber—At the request of the subscriber, the prohibition in subparagraph (A) shall be extended with respect to “(i) the number assigned to such subscriber for 2 years beyond may not be reassigned, except at the end request of the covered period.subscriber; and

added “(ii) the assignment of the number may not be rescinded or otherwise modified, except at the request of the subscriber.

added “(B) Extension at request of subscriber—During the covered period, at the request of a subscriber described in subparagraph (A), the prohibition in subparagraph (A) shall be extended for the number for 1 year after the date on which the covered period expires.

“(C) Subscriber right to cancel and resubscribe

removed “(i) In general—In the case of a number that is assigned to a subscriber for the provision of wireline voice service at a residence that is located in an area that is in a covered period (or in the case of such a number with respect to which the subscriber requests an extension under subparagraph (B)), if the major disaster involved results in covered damage to such residence—

removed “(I) the provider of such service may not charge the subscriber any early termination or other fee in connection with the cancellation of such service; and

changed “(II) “(i) In general—In the case of a number described under subparagraph (A) or (B), if the subscriber cancels such service, assigned to such number demonstrates to the provider (or of the service (or, under subclause (II), any other provider of fixed wireline voice service that serves the location involved)—local area) that the residence where the number is located is inaccessible or uninhabitable—

changed “(aa) shall permit “(I) the provider may not charge the subscriber to subscribe an early termination or resubscribe, as the case may be, to wireline voice service other fee in connection with such number at the cancellation of such residence service, if cancelled during the covered period or at a different residence (if such number is available in the location extension of such different residence); the period described in subparagraph (B); and

changed “(bb) may not charge “(II) if the subscriber any connection fee cancels the service during the covered period or other fee relating to the initiation extension of such service.the period described in subparagraph (B), the provider (or any other provider of fixed wireline voice service that serves the local area)—

changed “(ii) Timing—Clause (i) “(aa) shall cease permit the subscriber to apply with respect subscribe or resubscribe, as the case may be, to fixed wireline voice service with the number at the end of the covered period residence or at a different residence (if such number is available in the end location of the extended period under subparagraph (B), as the case may be.such different residence); and

changed “(iii) Limitation—Except as provided in this subparagraph, the prohibition in subparagraph (A) and any extension of such prohibition under subparagraph (B) shall cease to apply with respect to a number when “(bb) may not charge the subscriber cancels the service with respect a connection fee or any other fee relating to which the number is assigned.initiation of fixed wireline voice service.

changed “(D) Identification on Commission website—The Commission shall publicly identify on “(ii) Cancellation without demonstration of inaccessibility or uninhabitability—If a subscriber cancels the website provision of service assigned to a number described in subparagraph (A) or (B) and does not demonstrate to the Commission each area provider of such service that the residence where the number is in a covered period.located is inaccessible or uninhabitable as described under clause (i), the number is no longer subject to the prohibition under subparagraph (A) or (B).

added “(D) Identification on commission website—The Commission shall publicly identify on the website of the Commission each designated area that is in a covered period, not later than 15 days after the submission of a public designation by a State under subparagraph (E)(iii) with respect to such area. In identifying a designated area under subparagraph (E)(iii), a State shall consult with providers of fixed wireline voice service that serve such area and coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reasonably limit the designated area to areas that have sustained covered damage.

“(E) Definitions—In this paragraph:

removed “(i) Covered damage—The term “covered damage” means, with respect to a residence, damage—

changed “(I) that renders a residence inaccessible or uninhabitable, or that results in displacement from the residence; and“(i) Covered damage—The term “covered damage” means, with respect to an area—

changed “(II) with respect to which the President determines “(I) damage that an individual or household is eligible for housing assistance renders residences in such area inaccessible or other needs assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).uninhabitable; or

changed “(ii) Covered period—The term “covered period” means, with respect to an area, any period that—“(II) damage that otherwise results in the displacement of subscribers from or within such area.

changed “(I) begins on the date of a declaration by the President of “(ii) Covered period—The term covered period means a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) with respect to such area; andperiod that—

changed “(II) ends “(I) begins on the date that is 1 year after the date on which such of a declaration expires.by the President of a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) with respect to a designated area; and

changed “(iii) Wireline voice service—The term “wireline voice service” has the meaning given “(II) ends on the term “voice service” in section 227(e)(8), except date that the term “wireline voice service” does not include commercial mobile service (as defined in section 332(d)).”is 1 year after such date.

added “(iii) Designated area—The term designated area means a geographic area for which a State has submitted a public designation to the Commission, within 15 days after a declaration by the President of a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) with respect to such area, stipulating that the State has determined that—

added “(I) covered damage was sustained in such area; and

added “(II) the prohibitions described in this paragraph are necessary and in the public interest.

added “(iv) Voice service—The term voice service has the meaning given the term voice service in section 227(e)(8).”