*Pages 1--3 from Microsoft Word - 25102.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov DA 03- 442 PUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD BY THE FEDERAL- STATE JOINT CONFERENCE ON ACCOUNTING ISSUES WC Docket No. 02- 269 Release Date: February 14, 2003 The Federal- State Joint Conference on Accounting Issues will hold a public meeting on Monday, February 24, 2003 at 3: 00 p. m. in the Commission meeting room, Room TW- C305, at 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D. C. The purpose of the meeting is to continue to explore ways of ensuring that the Commission’s regulatory accounting and related reporting requirements are adequate and effective in the current market to protect consumers and carry out federal and state regulatory responsibilities. Section 11 of the Communications Act requires that the Commission review every two years those regulations that are “no longer necessary in the public interest as a result of meaningful economic competition between providers” of telecommunications service. 1 To this end, in 2001 the Commission undertook its second comprehensive biennial review of its Part 32 accounting rules and ARMIS reporting requirements. 2 As part of this review, the Commission adopted changes to its accounts and related reporting rules that were intended to “reflect a 1 47 U. S. C. § 161. 2 2002 Biennial Regulatory Review – Comprehensive Review of the Accounting Requirements and ARMIS Reporting Requirements for Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers: Phase 2; Amendments to the Uniform System of Accounts for Interconnection; Jurisdictional Separations Reform and Referral to the Federal- State Joint Board; Local Competition and Broadband Reporting, Report and Order in CC Docket Nos. 00- 199, 97- 212, and 80- 286; Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in CC Docket Nos. 00- 199, 99- 301, and 80- 286, 16 FCC Rcd 19911 (2001) (Phase II Accounting Order and Phase III Further Notice); on recon., 2000 Biennial Regulatory Review -Comprehensive Review of the Accounting Requirements and ARMIS Reporting Requirements for Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers, Order on Reconsideration, CC Docket No. 00- 199, 17 FCC Rcd 4766 (2002); Federal– State Joint Conference on Accounting Issues; 2002 Biennial Regulatory Review- Comprehensive Review of the Accounting Requirements and ARMIS Reporting Requirements for Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers: Phase 2; Jurisdictional Separations Reform and Referral to the Federal– State Joint Board; and Local Competition and Broadband Reporting, Order, WC Docket No. 02- 269, CC Docket Nos. 00- 199, 80- 286, and 99- 301, 17 FCC Rcd 23243 (2002); 47 C. F. R. § 32 et seq. 1 2 sharpened focus on ongoing regulatory needs in the areas of competition and universal service,” 3 and minimize the regulatory burdens and distortions that could undermine the development of new technology. In a related Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission sought comment on certain accounting and related reporting requirements it identified for future reform. 4 On September 5, 2002, the FCC issued an Order convening a Federal- State Joint Conference on Accounting Issues to “. . . provide a forum for an ongoing dialogue between the Commission and the states in order to ensure that regulatory accounting data and related information filed by carriers are adequate, truthful, and thorough.” According to that Order, the Joint Conference “will further this goal by facilitating cooperative federal and state review of regulatory accounting and related reporting requirements in order to determine their adequacy and effectiveness in the current market and make recommendations for improvement.” 5 In a Public Notice dated December 12, 2002, the Joint Conference requested comment on a number of issues that were addressed in the Phase II order. 6 It also sought comment on broader questions, including whether there are additional accounting requirements that should be adopted in order to ensure that federal and state regulators have sufficient information to protect consumers, promote investment and competition, and monitor the marketplace, and whether additional accounting requirements could be streamlined or eliminated. The meeting is open to the public and seating will be available on a first come, first served basis. The audio portion of the meeting will be broadcast live on the Internet via the FCC's Internet audio broadcast page at http:// www. fcc. gov/ realaudio/. Audio and video tapes of this meeting can be purchased from CACI Productions Group, 341 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 20170; (703) 834- 1470, Ext. 10 (voice); (703) 834- 0111 (FAX). The meeting site is fully accessible to people using wheelchairs and other mobility aids. Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need, including as much detail as you can. Also include a way we can contact you if we need more information. Please allow at least 5 days’ advance notice; last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e- mail to fcc504@ fcc. gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau as follows: for sign language interpreters, CART, and other reasonable accommodations, call (202) 418- 0530 (voice), or (202) 418- 0432 (TTY); for accessible format materials (Braille, large print, electronic files, and audio format), call (202) 418- 0531 (voice), or (202) 418- 7365 (TTY). 3 Phase II Accounting Order at 19913. 4 Phase III Further Notice at 19984. 5 Federal- State Joint Conference on Accounting Issues, Order, WC Docket No. 02- 269, 17 FCC Rcd 17025 (2002) (Convening Order); Federal- State Joint Conference on Accounting Issues, Order, WC Docket No. 02- 269, 17 FCC Rcd 20714 (2002) (order establishing membership of Joint Conference). 6 Federal- State Joint Conference on Accounting Issues, Public Notice, WC Docket No. 02- 269, DA 02- 3449 (Dec. 12, 2002). 2 3 The Wireline Competition Bureau will issue another public notice prior to the meeting detailing the agenda for the meeting and the names of panelists. For further information, contact Jane Jackson, Associate Bureau Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418- 1500 or (202) 418- 0484 (TTY). 3