Sec. 53.252.  ADOPTION OF CERTAIN POLICIES.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, the commission shall consider and may adopt policies to:
(1)  provide for evaluation of the overall reasonableness of the rates of a rural or small incumbent local exchange company or cooperative not more frequently than once every three years;
(2)  permit consideration of future construction plans and operational changes in evaluating the reasonableness of the rates of a rural or small incumbent local exchange company or cooperative;  or
(3)  allow a rural or small incumbent local exchange company or cooperative to:
(A)  provide required information by report or by other means, as necessary, including a required rate filing package, in substantially less burdensome and complex form than is required of a larger incumbent local exchange company;
(B)  change depreciation and amortization rates, if customer rates are not affected, after notice to the commission, subject to commission review in a proceeding under Subchapter C or Subchapter D; 
(C)  adopt for a new service the rates for the same or a substantially similar service offered by a larger incumbent local exchange company, without additional cost justification;  and
(D)  submit to the commission, instead of a management audit otherwise required by law, policy, or rule, financial audits regularly performed by an independent auditor or required and performed as a result of the company's or cooperative's participation in a federal or state financing or revenue-sharing program.
Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.