SENATE RESOLUTION No. 5

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MARCH 18, 1996

By DiFRANCESCO and LYNCH

A Senate Resolution establishing a Senate Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Whereas, The "Telecommunications Act of 1996" was recently passed by Congress, and was signed into law on February 8, 1996; and

Whereas, The "Telecommunications Act of 1996" was enacted with the goal of promoting competition and reducing regulation in order to secure lower prices and higher quality services for American telecommunications consumers, and of encouraging the rapid deployment of new telecommunications technologies; and

Whereas, The act will have revolutionary effects on the nation's telecommunications system, partcularly in those States such as New Jersey which have sophisticated telecommunications and information services networks and large corporations which deal with telecommunications and information services matters; and

Whereas, The act, by deregulating telecommunications and encouraging the rapid deployment of new technologies, will have far- reaching effects on the consumers of telecommunications and information services; and

Whereas, It is incumbent on the Legislature to become better informed about the requirements of the "Telecommunications Act of 1996," to consider its implications for New Jersey and to study the possible areas in which State action or regulation will or could be called for; now, therefore,

    Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

    1. There is hereby established the Senate Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. The committee shall consist of five members of the Senate, with three members of the committee to be appointed by the President of the Senate and two members to be appointed by the President of the Senate upon recommendation of the Senate Minority Leader. The committee may appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the committee. The Senate President shall designate one of the members to serve as chairman.

    2. It shall be the duty of the committee to study the telecommunications issues raised by the "Telecommunications Act of 1996," to consider the implications of this act for the State of New Jersey and to study the possible areas in which State action or regulation will or could be called for. The primary function of the committee shall be to serve as a resource for informing and educating the Legislature as to the subject matter within the scope of the committee's study.

    3. a. The committee may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature, and shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of officials and employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require.

    b. The committee shall further be entitled to employ stenographic and clerical assistance and incur traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as it may deem necessary in order to perform its duties, within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.

    4. The committee shall report its findings in a report to the President of the Senate as soon as practicable upon completion of its work.

STATEMENT

    This Senate resolution establishes the Senate Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. The committee is to consist of five members of the Senate, three of whom are to be appointed by the President of the Senate and two of whom are to be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Senate Minority Leader.

    It is the duty of the committee to study the telecommunications issues raised by the "Telecommunications Act of 1996," recently passed by Congress and signed into law, to consider the implications of that act for the State of New Jersey and to study possible areas in which State action or regulation will or could be called for. The primary function of the committee will be to serve as a resource for informing and educating the Legislature on telecommunications issues. The resolution does not provide for the committee to make any recommendations concerning possible legislation.

    The committee is to report its findings to the President of the Senate as soon as practicable upon completion of its work.

Creates Senate Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.