BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION


In the Matter of Approving the Telecommunications Relay Service 
Excise Tax
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	)		DOCKET NO. UT-010236
			
			ORDER DETERMINING THE 
			TRS EXCISE TAX RATE                                                      

  The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (Commission) is 
required by RCW 43.20A.725 to determine on an annual basis the amount of the 
Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) excise tax to be applied to each access 
line and must inform each local exchange company of this amount no later than 
May 15 of each year.  The level of the excise tax to be applied is to be based 
on the information and recommendation provided by the Office for the Deaf and 
Hard of Hearing Services within the state Department of Social and Health 
Services (DSHS).  The budget must be reviewed and approved by the DSHS Budget 
Division and further approved by the Office of Financial Management (OFM).

  RCW43.20A.725 requires DSHS to submit the approved budget to the Commission 
no later than March 1 of each year.  The Commission shall then determine the 
amount of the excise tax based on the program budget, as submitted by DSHS, and 
the total number of switched telephone access lines.  The TRS excise tax must 
not exceed nineteen cents ($0.19) per month per access line as established 
through legislation.  The DSHS Budget Division provided the Commission with the 
TRS program budget information on February 15, 2001.  The budget was approved 
by OFM and submitted to the Commission on February 22, 2001.  Based on the 
information, the Commission determined at its open meeting on March 14, 2001, 
that the amount of the TRS excise tax should be reduced from the current amount 
of fifteen cents ($0.15) to fourteen cents ($0.14) per switched access line per 
month.  

ORDER

  IT IS HEREBY ORDERED That each local exchange telephone company shall collect 
the Telecommunications Relay Services excise tax in the amount of fourteen 
cents ($0.14) per switched access line per month; and pursuant to RCW 
43.20A.725, shall remit the amount collected directly to the Department of 
Social and Health Services on a monthly basis, and shall separately identify 
the excise tax on each ratepayer’s bill.

  DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this 14th day of March, 2001.



   
        CAROLE J. WASHBURN
        Secretary