49-31-3.4. Reclassification proceeding--Factors in determining reclassification--Burden of proof--Stay of price change--Penalties and costs for spurious petition.
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The commission, on its own motion or upon petition, shall commence regulation or reclassify a telecommunications service previously classified by the Legislature or the commission as a fully competitive service or an emerging competitive service if, after hearing or investigation, the commission finds:
(1)That the market for that emerging competitive service does not satisfy the criteria of § 49-31-3.2 and does not have alternative telecommunications services available to over twenty percent of the telecommunications company's customers for that service; or
(2)That the market for that fully competitive service does not satisfy the criteria of § 49-31-3.2 and does not have alternative telecommunications services available to over fifty percent of the telecommunications company's customers for that service.
In any proceeding to reclassify a telecommunications service, the person initiating the petition has the burden of proving that the existing classification is inappropriate, except the telecommunications company providing the service has the burden of proving that the classification is appropriate if the proceeding is commenced by the commission on its own motion. Upon the filing of a petition under this section and upon application, the commission may enter an order staying a price change, for not more than thirty days, for the disputed service pending a hearing on the merits of the petition, for reasonable cause shown.
If a petition under this section is found to be spurious or vexatious, the commission may assess reasonable penalties and costs against the petitioning party, which may include reasonable attorney fees. However, the penalties and costs may not be assessed against the commission.