Section 160.06. Eligibility for low-income programs.

 

(1)   Low-income assistance eligibility.

(a) All ETCs shall verify an applicant's eligibility for low-income assistance programs by making timely queries of the applicable databases of the Wisconsin department of health services, the Wisconsin department of revenue, or other government agencies designated by the commission. An ETC shall verify an applicant's eligibility by finding the applicant to be any of the following:

1. An active client of at least one of the programs listed in s. PSC 160.02 (21) (a) .

2. A member of the active client's household whose low income qualifies the client for benefits under at least one of the programs listed in s. PSC 160.02 (21) (a) .

3. At an income level that meets the conditions in s. PSC 160.02 (21) (b) .

4. At an income level that meets the conditions of any other federal low-income eligibility criteria.

(b) Notwithstanding par. (a) , an eligible telecommunications carrier shall verify an applicant as eligible for low-income assistance programs if the applicant qualifies for federal universal service fund support for eligible residents of tribal lands under 47 CFR 54.400 et seq.

(c) If an eligible telecommunications carrier cannot verify an applicant's eligibility under par. (a) or (b) , in addition to the households considered low-income under the definition in s. PSC 160.02 (21) , the ETC shall consider a household that receives benefits from federal public housing assistance (section 8) to be low-income.

(2)   Eligibility reverification. An eligible telecommunications carrier shall reverify eligibility on at least an annual basis for all customers receiving lifeline assistance. The eligible telecommunications carrier shall first attempt to reverify eligibility by making timely queries of the applicable databases of the Wisconsin department of health services, the Wisconsin department of revenue, or other government agencies designated by the commission.

(3)   Eligibility inquiry. Eligible telecommunications carriers other than federal-only ETCs shall inquire of each customer regarding eligibility of that customer for low-income programs on each order for initial or moved residential service and, orally or in writing, in the first contact with the customer during a year concerning disconnection or payment arrangements.

(4)   Query authorization.

(a) Customers shall complete and remit any reasonably required query authorization forms or forfeit eligibility.

(b) Eligible telecommunications carriers shall obtain whatever customer authorization is required by the Wisconsin department of health services, the Wisconsin department of revenue, or other government agencies for the database queries necessary for eligibility verification. The commission may revoke the eligible telecommunications carrier designation and order the forfeiture of reimbursements if it accesses a customer's database information without that customer's authorization. The commission may also refer the eligible telecommunications carrier to the Wisconsin department of justice or other state agency for appropriate action.

(5)   Applicant requirements. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an applicant is only eligible for low-income assistance programs under this chapter if the applicant provides all of the information required under state and federal law.

Cr. Register, April, 1996, No. 484 , eff. 5-1-96; renum. (1) to be (1) (intro.) and am. (1) (intro.), renum. (5) (a) to be (5), cr. (1) (a) to (c), am. (3) and (4), r. (5) (b), Register, April, 2000, No. 532 , eff. 5-1-00; CR 13-068 : renum. (1) to (1) (a) and am. (a) (intro.), 1., 2., r. (1) (a) 3., cr. (1) (a) 3., 4., (b), (c), am. (2), (3), renum. (4) to (4) (b) and am., cr. (4) (a), r. and recr. (5) Register January 2016 No. 721 , eff. 2-1-16.