2021 Oregon Revised Statutes
Chapter 759 - Telecommunications Utility Regulation
Section 759.315 - Purposes for which securities may be issued; order required; exceptions; rules.


(a) The acquisition of property, or the construction, completion, extension or improvement of its facilities.
(b) The improvement or maintenance of its service.
(c) The discharge or lawful refunding of its obligations.
(d) The reimbursement of money actually expended from income or from any other money in the treasury of the telecommunications utility not secured by or obtained from the issue of stocks or bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, or securities of such telecommunications utility, for any of the purposes listed in paragraphs (a) to (c) of this subsection except the maintenance of service and replacements, in cases where the applicant has kept its accounts and vouchers for such expenditures in such manner as to enable the Public Utility Commission to ascertain the amount of money so expended and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.
(e) The compliance with terms and conditions of options granted to its employees to purchase its stock, if the commission first finds that such terms and conditions are reasonable and in the public interest.
(2) Before issuing such securities, a telecommunications utility, in addition to the other requirements of law, shall secure from the commission upon application an order authorizing such issue, stating:
(a) The amount of the issue and the purposes to which the issue or the proceeds thereof are to be applied;
(b) In the opinion of the commission, the money, property or labor to be procured or paid for by such issue reasonably is required for the purposes specified in the order and compatible with the public interest, which is necessary or appropriate for or consistent with the proper performance by the applicant of service as a telecommunications utility, and will not impair its ability to perform that service; and
(c) Except as otherwise permitted in the order in the case of bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, such purposes are not, in whole or in part, reasonably chargeable to operating expenses or to income.
(3) This section and ORS 759.310 apply to demand notes but do not apply to the issuance or renewal of a note or evidence of indebtedness maturing not more than one year after date of such issue or renewal.
(4) Nothing in ORS 759.300 to 759.360 shall prevent issuance of stock to stockholders as a stock dividend if there has been secured from the commission an order:
(a) Finding that the stock dividend is compatible with the public interest;
(b) Authorizing such issue and a transfer of surplus to capital in any amount equal to the par or stated value of the stock so authorized; and
(c) Finding that a sum equal to the amount to be so transferred was expended for the purposes enumerated in subsection (1) of this section.
(5) A telecommunications utility that derives one-half or more of its gross revenue from sources outside this state does not require commission authorization to issue stocks and bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness and any security unless the commission finds that the authorization requirements of ORS 759.310 and subsection (2) of this section are necessary to:
(a) Prevent the telecommunications utility from issuing securities for purposes not permitted under subsection (1) of this section; or
(b) Prevent impairment of the telecommunications utility’s ability to provide telecommunications utility services to its customers in this state. The commission shall adopt rules that set forth independently determined financial indicators upon which the commission must base any finding of impaired ability to provide utility telecommunications services. [1987 c.447 §31; 1993 c.204 §2; 2001 c.236 §1]

Structure 2021 Oregon Revised Statutes

2021 Oregon Revised Statutes

Volume : 19 - Utilities, Vehicle Code, Watercraft, Aviation

Chapter 759 - Telecommunications Utility Regulation

Section 759.005 - Definitions.

Section 759.016 - Legislative findings on broadband services.

Section 759.020 - Certificate of authority; application; procedure; criteria; intrastate toll service level; rules.

Section 759.025 - Certificates of authority for persons, companies and corporations providing services on January 1, 1986.

Section 759.040 - Exemptions for certain unaffiliated utilities with fewer than 50,000 access lines.

Section 759.050 - Competitive zone service regulation.

Section 759.052 - Commission authority to exempt telecommunications services from regulation.

Section 759.054 - Price listing for product or service offered as part of local exchange telecommunications services.

Section 759.056 - Price listing for product or service offered as part of interexchange telecommunications services.

Section 759.060 - Information submitted by local exchange telecommunications utilities; rules exempting disclosure.

Section 759.070 - Charge to access public body radio tower; market rate; exception.

Section 759.075 - Authority to construct lines and facilities; condemnation power; procedure.

Section 759.120 - Form and manner of accounts prescribed by commission.

Section 759.125 - Records and accounts prescribed by commission; prohibition on other records or accounts; exception; blanks for reports.

Section 759.130 - Closing date of accounts; filing balance sheet; audit.

Section 759.135 - Depreciation accounts; undepreciated investment allowed in rates; conditions.

Section 759.175 - Filing rate schedules and data with commission.

Section 759.180 - Hearing on reasonableness of rates; procedures; exceptions.

Section 759.182 - Rate schedules for service promotions; rules.

Section 759.185 - Suspension of rates pending hearing; time limitation; refund of revenue collected; interim rates.

Section 759.195 - Price listing of services; conditions; maximum rates; essential services; justification by utility of rates for price-listed services; rules.

Section 759.200 - Inclusion of amortizations in rates; deferral of certain expenses or revenues; limitation on amounts; prohibited uses.

Section 759.210 - Classification of service and rates; considerations; rules.

Section 759.215 - Public access to schedules.

Section 759.218 - Revenues and expenses of unregulated activities.

Section 759.220 - Joint rates and classifications; procedure; considerations.

Section 759.225 - Application of ORS 759.220 to unincorporated associations and cooperative corporations.

Section 759.230 - Measured service rate for business customers; restriction.

Section 759.235 - Mandatory measured service rate; prohibition.

Section 759.240 - Measuring quality of service; standards; rules.

Section 759.245 - Examination and testing of measuring appliances; rules; fees.

Section 759.250 - Contracts for special services; procedure for filing and approval; subsequent review and investigation.

Section 759.255 - Setting prices without regard to return on utility investment; petition; findings; conditions; application of statutes to approved plan.

Section 759.257 - Extended area service: Portland to Scappoose.

Section 759.259 - Extended area service: Portland to Molalla.

Section 759.260 - Unjust discrimination in rates.

Section 759.265 - Practices not constituting unjust discrimination.

Section 759.270 - Reducing rates for persons furnishing part of facilities; rental of customer facilities; furnishing meters and appliances.

Section 759.275 - Undue preferences and prejudices.

Section 759.310 - When issuance of securities void.

Section 759.315 - Purposes for which securities may be issued; order required; exceptions; rules.

Section 759.320 - Application of ORS 759.315.

Section 759.330 - Hearings and supplemental orders for securities issuance; joint approval for issuance by utility operating in another state.

Section 759.345 - Use of proceeds from issuance; accounting; rules.

Section 759.360 - Prohibited acts regarding issuance of securities.

Section 759.375 - Approval prior to sale, mortgage or disposal of operative utility property.

Section 759.380 - Purchase of stock or property of another utility.

Section 759.385 - Contracts regarding use of utility property; filing with commission; investigation.

Section 759.390 - Contracts with affiliated interests; procedure; use in rate proceedings.

Section 759.393 - Applicability of ORS 759.385 and 759.390.

Section 759.400 - Definitions for ORS 759.400 to 759.455.

Section 759.405 - Election of regulation under ORS 759.405 and 759.410; conditions; Telecommunications Infrastructure Account; remedy for failure of utility to comply with conditions.

Section 759.410 - Intent of ORS 759.410; establishing maximum and minimum price for telecommunications services; packaging services; notice of price change, new service; enforcement.

Section 759.415 - Order in rate proceeding filed prior to January 1, 1999, to establish maximum rate for affected telecommunications services; dismissal of rate proceeding filed after January 1, 1999.

Section 759.425 - Universal service fund; transfer of moneys to Broadband Fund; commission to establish price for basic telephone service; universal service surcharge; application to cellular services; rules.

Section 759.430 - Approval of projects funded by carrier’s Telecommunications Infrastructure Account; Connecting Oregon Communities Advisory Board; rules.

Section 759.435 - Assessment of telecommunications infrastructure and community needs; contents; report.

Section 759.445 - Connecting Oregon Communities Fund; School Technology Account; Public Access Account.

Section 759.450 - Minimum service quality standards; rules; customer impact indices; factors; wholesale services; improvement plan; penalties; exceptions.

Section 759.455 - Prohibited acts; commission action on allegation of violation; penalties; judicial review.

Section 759.500 - Definitions for ORS 759.500 to 759.570.

Section 759.506 - Purpose of allocated territory laws; carrier of last resort obligations; exemptions from obligations; reinstatement of obligations.

Section 759.535 - Application to serve unserved territory; hearing; notice.

Section 759.560 - Assignment or transfer of allocated territory; rules.

Section 759.570 - Application of law to local government.

Section 759.585 - Definitions for ORS 759.585 to 759.595.

Section 759.590 - Application for service by unserved person; rules.

Section 759.595 - Criteria for granting application for service; effect on other territorial allocation.

Section 759.650 - Definitions for ORS 759.650 to 759.675.

Section 759.660 - Fixing charges or rates; criteria; costs of hearing.

Section 759.680 - Operator service provider duties to service users; rules.

Section 759.685 - Surcharge assessed on retail telecommunications subscribers; rules.

Section 759.687 - Residential Service Protection Fund.

Section 759.688 - Oregon Telephone Assistance Program Advisory Committee; duties; members; rules.

Section 759.689 - Use of surcharge for marketing and outreach to increase participation rate in plan of assistance.

Section 759.693 - Definitions.

Section 759.695 - Program for assistive telecommunication devices and communication facilitator services; program for adaptive equipment.

Section 759.696 - Telecommunication Devices Access Program Advisory Committee; duties; members.

Section 759.697 - Program coordinator; program administration.

Section 759.698 - Eligibility.

Section 759.700 - Definitions for ORS 759.700 to 759.720.

Section 759.705 - Program message preamble; information to be included.

Section 759.710 - Pay-per-call information; disclosure.

Section 759.715 - Information service blocking; suspension or termination of telephone service for nonpayment of information service charges; rules.

Section 759.720 - Action against information provider for failure to comply with law; remedies; customer liability for charges.

Section 759.730 - Unauthorized changes in telecommunications carriers ("slamming"); rules.

Section 759.900 - Liability of utility; effect on other remedies; liability for personal injury or property damage.

Section 759.990 - Penalties.