NARUC President Plans Resolution on ICS Rates

NARUC President Brandon Presley will propose a resolution on slashing intrastate inmate calling service rates at the state regulator association’s next meeting in November, Presley tweeted Friday: “This is a moral issue.” NARUC agreed Thursday with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s call to lower rates, though many state commissions may lack jurisdiction (see 2007230065). The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities added itself to the list of commissions that don’t set rates. They are set by a request for proposal process through state's Treasury and Corrections departments, a spokesperson emailed us Friday. Granting a forbearance petition to remove USF contribution requirements for ICS providers would provide more relief to inmates and families than the FCC’s plan to reduce interstate rates by 24% to 16 cents from 21 cents, said NCIC Inmate Communications in an FCC filing Friday about a call with a Pai aide. NCIC’s proposal would reduce the cost of every ICS call 27% based on the current quarterly contribution factor. If the FCC granted forbearance and reduced rates, the combined effect would be to lower the per-minute cost to 16 cents from 27 cents, the company said: That would reduce the USF budget by less than 0.5% “while providing immediate and direct relief to millions of families.”