Vermont § 7524 - Payment to fiscal agent

§ 7524. Payment to fiscal agent

• (a) Telecommunications service providers shall pay to the fiscal agent all Universal Service
  Charge receipts collected from customers. A report in a form approved by the Department
  of Public Service shall be included with each payment. (b) Payments shall be made monthly, by the 15th day of the month, and shall be based upon
  amounts collected in the preceding month. If the amount is small, the Commissioner
  may allow payment to be made less frequently, and may permit payment on an accrual
  basis. (c) Telecommunications service providers shall maintain records adequate to demonstrate
  compliance with the requirements of this chapter. The Commissioner or the fiscal agent
  may examine those records in a reasonable manner. (d) When a payment is due under this section by a telecommunications service provider
  who has provided customer credits under the Lifeline program, the amount due may be
  reduced by the amount of credit granted. (e) The fiscal agent shall examine the records of telecommunications service providers
  to determine whether their receipts reflect application of the Universal Service Charge
  on all assessable telecommunications services under this chapter, including the federal
  subscriber line charge, directory assistance, enhanced services unless they are billed
  as separate line items, and toll-related services. (f) The Department of Public Service shall ensure the fiscal agent is authorized to negotiate
  and collect from telecommunications service providers any Universal Service Charges
  not properly assessed or remitted pursuant to this chapter. For the purpose of this
  subsection, the fiscal agent may examine the records of telecommunications providers
  for the immediately preceding three years and assess the provider for underpayments,
  if any, as appropriate. (Added 1993, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; amended 1995, No. 99 (Adj. Sess.), § 14; 1995, No. 182 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. May 22, 1996; 2013, No. 191 (Adj. Sess.), § 30; 2015, No. 41, § 26, eff. June 1, 2015.)