Tennessee House votes end Lifeline fee on landline phone bills

Monday, March 4, 2013

Arkansas-Tennessee Live Blog

NASHVILLE - The House gave final approval to legislation pushed by an AT&T-led coalition that eliminates Tennessee's Lifeline program that provides a $3.50 monthly credit to 93,000 low-income Tennessee households on their landline telephone bill.

Members voted 91-1 for the bill, which previously passed the Senate and now goes to Gov. Bill Haslam for his consideration.

The bill, which makes changes to other laws affecting telephone companies as well, will have no impact on an identically named federal program, which covers both landline and cellphones.

House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, the bill's sponsor, said the state's portion of the landline program is no longer needed.

asher@timesfreepress.com