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House of Representatives
HB5338 / File No. 384 1
General Assembly File No. 384
February Session, 2026 House Bill No. 5338
House of Representatives, April 2, 2026
The Committee on Energy and Technology reported through
REP. STEINBERG of the 136th Dist., Chairperson of the
Committee on the part of the House, that the bill ought to pass.
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN SERVICE
PROVIDERS FOR PURPOSES OF THE FEDERAL LIFELINE SERVICE
BENEFITS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 16 -247e of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 2
1, 2026): 3
(a) [In order to ] To ensure the universal availability of affordable, 4
high quality telecommunications services to all residents and businesses 5
throughout the state regardless of income, disability or location, the 6
authority shall (1) periodically investigate and determine, after notice 7
and hearing, local service options, including the definition and 8
components of any basic telecommunications services, necessary to 9
achieve universal service and meet customer needs; and (2) establish 10
lifeline and telecommunications relay service programs funded by all 11
telecommunications [carriers] service providers that provide intrastate 12
telecommunications services, as such terms are defined in 47 USC 153, 13
HB5338 File No. 384
HB5338 / File No. 384 2
as amended from time to time, sufficient to provide low -income 14
households or individuals, or persons who are hard of hearing or speech 15
impaired, with a level of telecommunications service or package of 16
telecommunications services that supports participation in the economy 17
and society of the state. The authority shall apportion the funding for 18
the lifeline and telecommunications relay service programs among 19
telecommunications [carriers] service providers on an equitable basis 20
based on the gross revenues of each telecommunications [carrier] 21
service provider that are generated in [Connecticut] the state , [both] 22
whether based on interstate [and] or intrastate services. The lifeline and 23
telecommunications relay service programs shall be administered by an 24
entity authorized, and subject to oversight, by the authority. The 25
authority shall determine by order any telecommunications service 26
provider eligible to provide benefits pursuant to the lifeline program 27
and which customers qualify for [the lifeline] benefits pursuant to such 28
program. Recipients of lifeline funds shall use such funds to pay for 29
telecommunications services provided by [any] a telecommunications 30
[carrier] service provider. 31
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2026 16-247e(a)
ET Joint Favorable
HB5338 File No. 384
HB5338 / File No. 384 3
The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill makes various minor and technical changes to the Public
Utilities Regulatory Authority's statutes and does not result in a fiscal
impact.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
HB5338 File No. 384
HB5338 / File No. 384 4
OLR Bill Analysis
HB 5338
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN SERVICE
PROVIDERS FOR PURPOSES OF THE FEDERAL LIFELINE
SERVICE BENEFITS.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to
determine by order any telecommunications service provider eligible to
provide service under the state’s Lifeline Program (it appears this
program is not currently operating).
The bill also makes minor and technical changes. It requires the
program to be funded by all telecommunications services providers,
rather than all telecommunications carriers. Under federal law, a
telecommunications carrier is any provider of telecommunic ations
services, excluding aggregators of telecommunications services (47
U.S.C. § 153).
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
BACKGROUND
Federal Lifeline Program
Federal law established the federal Lifeline Program in 1985 and also
authorizes states to establish state lifeline programs. The federal Lifeline
Program provides a discount for telecommunications services for low -
income households. The program is funded by telecommunications
carrier payments to the federal Universal Service Fund.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Energy and Technology Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 26 Nay 0 (03/17/2026)