{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-54.5.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-54.5.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-54.5.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-54.5.html"}],"law_id":87278,"edition_id":1,"section_id":87278,"structure_id":15639,"section_number":"56-54.5","catch_line":"Powers of the Commission","history":"2014, cc. 340, 376.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Commission may ensure competitive telephone companies provide reasonably adequate retail voice service, including rendering timely and accurate bills for service, by receiving customer complaints and requiring the competitive telephone company to reasonably address bona fide complaints as promptly as is reasonably possible under the circumstances.B\n\nThe Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to ensure the reasonably adequate provision by competitive telephone companies of the telecommunications portions of emergency 911 services provided to PSAPs, as that term is defined in § 56-484.12.C\n\nThe Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority over Lifeline telephone service such as the Virginia Universal Service Plan, but shall not impose Lifeline telephone service obligations on competitive telephone companies that do not seek designation as eligible telecommunications carriers or impose Lifeline telephone service obligations over and above that imposed by the default Lifeline plan imposed by the Federal Communications Commission.D\n\nThe Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to permit existing and new retail tariffs to be filed by competitive telephone companies; however, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a competitive telephone company to file tariffs concerning retail services.E\n\nExisting extended local service calling plans ordered by the Commission pursuant to Article 4 (§ 56-484.1 et seq.) of Chapter 15 that are applicable to competitive telephone companies shall remain in effect, but shall not be expanded by the Commission. The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to enforce these extended local service calling plans, but shall not create any new plans.F\n\nThe Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to grant, amend, reissue, and cancel certificates of public convenience and necessity of competitive telephone companies.G\n\nThe Commission may promulgate such rules, including the revision and repeal of current rules, as may be necessary to implement the specific authority granted in this chapter.H\n\nThe Commission shall continue to enforce the Utility Transfers Act (§ 56-88 et seq.) regarding competitive telephone companies.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":312549,"text":"The Commission may ensure competitive telephone companies provide reasonably adequate retail voice service, including rendering timely and accurate bills for service, by receiving customer complaints and requiring the competitive telephone company to reasonably address bona fide complaints as promptly as is reasonably possible under the circumstances.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":312550,"text":"The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to ensure the reasonably adequate provision by competitive telephone companies of the telecommunications portions of emergency 911 services provided to PSAPs, as that term is defined in § 56-484.12.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":312551,"text":"The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority over Lifeline telephone service such as the Virginia Universal Service Plan, but shall not impose Lifeline telephone service obligations on competitive telephone companies that do not seek designation as eligible telecommunications carriers or impose Lifeline telephone service obligations over and above that imposed by the default Lifeline plan imposed by the Federal Communications Commission.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":312552,"text":"The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to permit existing and new retail tariffs to be filed by competitive telephone companies; however, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a competitive telephone company to file tariffs concerning retail services.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":312553,"text":"Existing extended local service calling plans ordered by the Commission pursuant to Article 4 (§ 56-484.1 et seq.) of Chapter 15 that are applicable to competitive telephone companies shall remain in effect, but shall not be expanded by the Commission. The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to enforce these extended local service calling plans, but shall not create any new plans.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":312554,"text":"The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to grant, amend, reissue, and cancel certificates of public convenience and necessity of competitive telephone companies.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E","next_prefix":"G"},"6":{"id":312555,"text":"The Commission may promulgate such rules, including the revision and repeal of current rules, as may be necessary to implement the specific authority granted in this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["G"],"prefix":"G","entire_prefix":"G","prefix_anchor":"G","level":1,"prior_prefix":"F","next_prefix":"H"},"7":{"id":312556,"text":"The Commission shall continue to enforce the Utility Transfers Act (§ 56-88 et seq.) regarding competitive telephone companies.","type":"section","prefixes":["H"],"prefix":"H","entire_prefix":"H","prefix_anchor":"H","level":1,"prior_prefix":"G"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15639,"edition_id":1,"name":"Competitive Telephone Companies","identifier":"2.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:57:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:57:14","permalink":{"id":250381,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15639,"identifier":"2.1","token":"56\/2.1","url":"\/56\/2.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12881,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":248473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12881,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":78043,"structure_id":15639,"section_number":"56-54.2","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-54.2\/","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.2","metadata":false},{"id":59757,"structure_id":15639,"section_number":"56-54.3","catch_line":"Election to be regulated as a competitive telephone company","url":"\/56-54.3\/","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.3","metadata":false},{"id":81105,"structure_id":15639,"section_number":"56-54.4","catch_line":"Commission authority over competitive telephone companies","url":"\/56-54.4\/","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.4","metadata":false},{"id":87278,"structure_id":15639,"section_number":"56-54.5","catch_line":"Powers of the Commission","url":"\/56-54.5\/","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.5","metadata":false},{"id":80222,"structure_id":15639,"section_number":"56-54.6","catch_line":"Duties of a competitive telephone company","url":"\/56-54.6\/","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.6","metadata":false},{"id":85634,"structure_id":15639,"section_number":"56-54.7","catch_line":"Service provided to the Commonwealth","url":"\/56-54.7\/","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.7","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":81105,"structure_id":15639,"section_number":"56-54.4","catch_line":"Commission authority over competitive telephone companies","url":"\/56-54.4\/","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.4","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":80222,"structure_id":15639,"section_number":"56-54.6","catch_line":"Duties of a competitive telephone company","url":"\/56-54.6\/","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.6","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-54.5\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2014. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 340<\/a> and 376<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":87369,"section_number":"56-484.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-484.1\/"},{"id":79652,"section_number":"56-88","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-88\/"}],"permalink":{"id":250395,"object_type":"law","relational_id":87278,"identifier":"56-54.5","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.5","url":"\/56-54.5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-54.5\/","token":"56\/2.1\/56-54.5","dublin_core":{"Title":"Powers of the Commission","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-54.5","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Commission<\/span> may ensure competitive telephone companies provide reasonably adequate retail voice service, including rendering timely and accurate bills for service, by receiving customer complaints and requiring the competitive telephone company<\/span> to reasonably address bona fide complaints as promptly as is reasonably possible under the circumstances. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Commission<\/span> shall continue to have jurisdiction<\/span> and authority to ensure the reasonably adequate provision by competitive telephone companies of the telecommunications portions of emergency 911 services provided to PSAPs, as that term is defined in § 56-484.12<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Commission<\/span> shall continue to have jurisdiction<\/span> and authority over Lifeline telephone service such as the Virginia Universal Service Plan, but shall not impose Lifeline telephone service obligations on competitive telephone companies that do not seek designation as eligible telecommunications carriers or impose Lifeline telephone service obligations over and above that imposed by the default<\/span> Lifeline plan imposed by the Federal Communications Commission<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The Commission<\/span> shall continue to have jurisdiction<\/span> and authority to permit existing and new retail tariffs to be filed by competitive telephone companies; however, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a competitive telephone company<\/span> to file tariffs concerning retail services. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Existing extended local service calling plans ordered by the Commission<\/span> pursuant to Article 4 (§ 56-484.1<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 15 that are applicable to competitive telephone companies shall remain in effect, but shall not be expanded by the Commission<\/span>. The Commission<\/span> shall continue to have jurisdiction<\/span> and authority to enforce these extended local service calling plans, but shall not create any new plans. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> The Commission<\/span> shall continue to have jurisdiction<\/span> and authority to grant, amend<\/span>, reissue, and cancel certificates of public convenience and necessity of competitive telephone companies. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

G.<\/span> The Commission<\/span> may promulgate such rules, including the revision and repeal of current rules, as may be necessary to implement the specific authority granted in this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

H.<\/span> The Commission<\/span> shall continue to enforce the Utility Transfers Act (§ 56-88<\/a> et seq.) regarding competitive telephone companies. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPOWERS OF THE COMMISSION (\u00a7 56-54.5)\n\nA. The Commission may ensure competitive telephone companies provide reasonably\nadequate retail voice service, including rendering timely and accurate bills for\nservice, by receiving customer complaints and requiring the competitive\ntelephone company to reasonably address bona fide complaints as promptly as is\nreasonably possible under the circumstances.\n\nB. The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to ensure\nthe reasonably adequate provision by competitive telephone companies of the\ntelecommunications portions of emergency 911 services provided to PSAPs, as that\nterm is defined in § 56-484.12.\n\nC. The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority over\nLifeline telephone service such as the Virginia Universal Service Plan, but\nshall not impose Lifeline telephone service obligations on competitive telephone\ncompanies that do not seek designation as eligible telecommunications carriers\nor impose Lifeline telephone service obligations over and above that imposed by\nthe default Lifeline plan imposed by the Federal Communications Commission.\n\nD. The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to permit\nexisting and new retail tariffs to be filed by competitive telephone companies;\nhowever, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a competitive\ntelephone company to file tariffs concerning retail services.\n\nE. Existing extended local service calling plans ordered by the Commission\npursuant to Article 4 (§ 56-484.1 et seq.) of Chapter 15 that are\napplicable to competitive telephone companies shall remain in effect, but shall\nnot be expanded by the Commission. The Commission shall continue to have\njurisdiction and authority to enforce these extended local service calling\nplans, but shall not create any new plans.\n\nF. The Commission shall continue to have jurisdiction and authority to grant,\namend, reissue, and cancel certificates of public convenience and necessity of\ncompetitive telephone companies.\n\nG. The Commission may promulgate such rules, including the revision and repeal\nof current rules, as may be necessary to implement the specific authority\ngranted in this chapter.\n\nH. The Commission shall continue to enforce the Utility Transfers Act (§\n56-88 et seq.) regarding competitive telephone companies.\n\nHISTORY: 2014, cc. 340, 376.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}