FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has circulated a rulemaking notice on...
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has circulated a rulemaking notice on the Wright petition (CD Nov 15 p15) that sought lower prison payphone rates, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn confirmed during a speech at a Center for Media Justice (CMJ) rally Thursday in…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
front of the agency’s headquarters. Advocates rallied to deliver 40,000 signatures to the FCC in favor of the Wright petition, CMJ said (http://xrl.us/bnzuzg). “It is the Commission’s responsibility to ensure that interstate long distance rates are just and reasonable,” the prepared version of Clyburn’s speech said. “I am optimistic that this Notice will move forward on a bi-partisan basis, and that we will be well on our way to resolving this issue soon. But a Commission vote alone will not solve this problem. So I join with those who are urging the remaining states to act and lower local and intrastate prison phone rates.” Eight states have reformed their prison phone frameworks to restrict facility commissions and lower prison phone rates, Clyburn said. In states where such reforms haven’t been enacted, a 15-minute phone call from prison can cost up to $17, she said. The issue has received increased attention recently, with the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee recommending the commission act on the petition, she said. NARUC voted Tuesday to ask the FCC to address the issue (CD Nov 14 p19).