In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Economic unit” means all adult individuals contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household. “Household” means an individual or a group of individuals who are living together at the same address as one economic unit. “Lifeline” means a nontransferable retail service offering provided directly to qualifying low–income consumers for which qualifying low–income consumers pay reduced charges as a result of federal or State lifeline support. “Qualifying low–income consumer” means an individual who: meets the qualifications for lifeline under 47 C.F.R. §§ 54.400, 54.409, and 54.410; and is certified to receive lifeline. Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, this section applies only to a local telephone company and the provision of local telephone service. At the direction of the Commission, a local telephone company with more than 10,000 subscribers shall offer lifeline to qualifying low–income consumers subject to the following conditions: no other local voice telephone service may be provided to the household of the qualifying low–income consumer applying for lifeline; and an inside wiring maintenance plan is not provided to the qualifying low–income consumer. A qualifying low–income consumer may select a lifeline under either paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection. A qualifying low–income consumer who selects lifeline under this paragraph: shall receive: an individual residential local exchange access line; and the first 30 residential local untimed messages each billing month at no additional charge; shall be charged: 50% of the lowest applicable and approved federal and State tariff rates for the access line and included residential local untimed messages, minus any applicable waiver of federal tariff provisions for qualifying low–income consumers, plus all applicable federal, State, and local taxes; the full applicable tariff rates for all other residential local untimed messages; and the full applicable tariff rates for all other services; and may not be provided any premium services, including foreign zone or foreign exchange service. A qualifying low–income consumer who selects lifeline under this paragraph: shall receive an individual residential local exchange access line with unlimited residential local untimed messages for a monthly charge of $10; and may purchase up to two value–added services at the full applicable tariff rates. The telephone company shall charge to the qualifying low–income consumer all applicable federal, State, and local taxes and fees. A telephone company may not require payment of an order processing charge or line change charge to change a qualifying low–income consumer to lifeline from any other class of residential telephone service. An individual who is no longer a qualifying low–income consumer may not be charged a fee to change from lifeline to any other class of residential telephone service. A telephone company may not request a deposit to secure payment in connection with the initial installation or connection of lifeline. A qualifying low–income consumer applying for service may be denied service if the qualifying low–income consumer: has an outstanding unpaid net telephone debt of $100 or more for prior telephone service; and has not established a reasonable payment plan to satisfy the debt. A qualifying low–income consumer may not be denied service if the qualifying low–income consumer has an outstanding unpaid net telephone debt of less than $100 for prior telephone service. To the extent allowed by federal and State law, the Department of Human Services shall provide to local telephone companies that offer lifeline monthly electronic access to a file containing a list of qualifying low–income consumers until the Federal Communications Commission or its designee determines eligibility. To obtain access to the file maintained by the Department of Human Services, a local telephone company must enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Human Services that governs access to use, confidentiality, and retention of the file. The grant of access to the file satisfies the certification requirement of subsection (a)(5) of this section. Once the Federal Communications Commission or its designee determines eligibility, that determination will satisfy the certification requirement under subsection (a)(5) of this section. The Department of Human Services may certify consumers as qualifying low–income consumers if they use services other than local telephone service. Nothing in this section may be construed to establish jurisdiction by the Commission over wireless services, broadband services, voice over Internet protocol services, or other services that are not provided through telephone lines.

The Commission may not authorize telephone company charges to be levied for directory assistance calls made by residential customers on the first two calls made to directory assistance from each residential service per monthly billing cycle. Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the Commission shall authorize charges on other directory assistance calls. The Commission may not authorize telephone company charges to be levied for directory assistance on an individual who suffers from a physical or visual disability that precludes the use of a telephone directory.

The Commission may not authorize mandatory telephone company charges based on a measured time period unit rate for local messages. The Commission may study or evaluate mandatory telephone company charges. If the Commission authorizes a telephone company to offer to residential customers the option of telephone charges based on a measured time period unit rate for local messages, the Commission also shall require the telephone company to offer to residential customers: the option of an unlimited number and duration of local calls; and the option of a specific charge per local call, regardless of the duration of the local call. A telephone company may not require the payment of an order processing charge or line change charge for a residential customer’s first change from local telephone service based on charges for measured time period unit rates, if the change occurs within 18 months after the date that the consumer elects this telephone service. The Commission may not authorize a telephone company to charge for the distance of a call within a local calling area.

This section does not apply to: a unit of federal, State, or local government that uses an automated dialing prerecorded message machine for emergency purposes; or a person who has a preexisting business relationship with, or the consent of, the person called. A person may not use an automated dialing, push-button, or tone-activated address signaling system with a prerecorded message to: solicit persons to purchase, lease, or rent goods or services; offer a gift or prize; conduct a poll; or request survey information if the results will be used directly to solicit persons to purchase, lease, or rent goods or services. The sender of an automated dialing, push-button, or tone-activated address signaling call shall disconnect the prerecorded message machine from the recipient’s telephone line within 5 seconds after the termination of the call by either the person calling or the person called. A person who violates a provision of subsection (b) or (c) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine: not exceeding $1,000 for the first offense; and not exceeding $5,000 for each subsequent offense.

In this section, “telephone solicitation” means an organized activity, program, or campaign to communicate by telephone with residents of Maryland in order to: sell, lease, or rent goods or services; attempt to sell, lease, or rent goods or services; offer or attempt to offer a gift or prize; conduct or attempt to conduct a poll; or request or attempt to request survey information, if the results of the survey will be used directly to solicit persons to purchase, lease, or rent goods or services. “Telephone solicitation” includes the act of managing, directing, or supervising an individual engaged in telephone solicitation under paragraph (1) of this subsection. This section does not apply to a unit of federal, State, or local government. If the telephone service or equipment of a person engaged in telephone solicitation allows that person to choose to restrict or display the transmission of the person’s telephone number to the recipient of a telephone solicitation, the person may not: intentionally use any device or method to block the transmission of the person’s telephone number to a recipient; or take any other action to prevent or control the transmission of the person’s telephone number to a recipient. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to: for a first offense, a fine not exceeding $1,000; and for each subsequent offense, a fine not exceeding $5,000.

This section applies to telephone directories distributed by, or on behalf of, a telephone company other than advertisement–based business directories. A telephone company may not be required to distribute a telephone directory to an address in the State unless the property owner or an occupant requests the telephone directory. If a telephone company elects not to distribute a print telephone directory to a customer at an address in the State, the telephone company shall provide notice as to how the customer may request a print telephone directory. The notice required under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall: include a toll–free telephone number a customer may call to request a print telephone directory; and be included: in each customer’s bill at least once each year; on the telephone company’s website; and in bold red print, on the front cover and the table of contents page of any print advertisement–based business directory distributed on behalf of the telephone company through September 30, 2016. If a customer requests a print telephone directory, the telephone company shall deliver the print telephone directory to the customer at no cost to the customer.