[IMC] Fwd: [Media Justice Exchange] Victory! NARUC Calls on FCC and States to Take Action on the Cost of Prison Phone Calls

[Danielle Chynoweth]

I thought you might like to see progress on the issue of prison phone rates
that we tackled on the local level years ago (much thanks to Sandra Ahten
as lead) and has become a national media justice issue. - Danielle


Sample Tweet:
@guatemalia's latest on #phonejustice.  Victory! NARUC Calls on FCC &
States to Take Action on the Cost of Prison Phone Calls shar.es/GJqkf

Victory! NARUC Calls on FCC and States to Take Action on the Cost of Prison
Phone Calls
Yesterday, the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory
Utility Commissioners (NARUC) adopted a resolution asking the FCC to
address the high costs of prison phone calls at their annual meeting in
Baltimore.  The vote–which formally adopts the resolution–comes one day
after the Telcom Committee endorsed the resolution in a vote of
12-2<http://centerformediajustice.org/2012/11/13/state-regulators-weigh-in-n-the-cost-of-prison-and-detention-phone-calls/>,
after hosting a panel on the issue and formally introducing the resolution
titled, *“Is it Fair for Families to Pay Exorbitant Rates to Call
Incarcerated Relatives?”*

Led by Commissioner Anne Boyle of Nebraska, the resolution calls for the
FCC *“to take immediate action on the “Wright Petition” by prohibiting
unreasonable rates and charges for inmate telephone services” *and
encourages States to *“take action **within their power to reduce or
eliminate excessive inmate telephone service rates.”*

The adoption of the resolution comes one day before a National Rally for
Strong Families and Safe
Communities<http://www.mag-net.org/events/2012/10/23/strong-families-safe-communities-rally-and-press-conference>led
by the Campaign
for Prison Phone
Justice<http://nationinside.org/campaign/prison-phone-justice/>at the
FCC.   Campaign leaders planned the rally as a way to demonstrate
bi-partisan and multi-sector support for this issue, highlight the voices
of impacted family members, and urge the FCC to move forward with a Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking.

Commissioner Jason Marks of New Mexico, one of the panelists and a leader
on the issue, had this to say about yesterday’s vote,

*”**For too long, we’ve allowed some of the most economically vulnerable
families in our communities to be put in the position of choosing between
remaining in contact with an incarcerated relative or paying for food,
shelter, and other essentials.   Regulating prison phone services and all
the associated surcharges, which are look like monopolies from the
consumers’ perspective, is ‘regulation 101.’  I’m pleased to be part of
moving this along, both in New Mexico, and nationally.”***

As many know, the FCC has struggled with this proceeding for years.   In
fact, the Wright Petition has been pending at the FCC since 2003—a fact
that has not gone unnoticed in social justice and media justice organizing
circles  as families are forced to choose between a phone call and basic
necessitites and corporations make billions!

Tags: amalia deloney <http://centerformediajustice.org/tag/amalia-deloney/>,
Featured <http://centerformediajustice.org/tag/featured/>, Media
Policy<http://centerformediajustice.org/tag/media-policy/>,
Prison Phone Justice<http://centerformediajustice.org/tag/prison-phone-justice/>


 *Please update your address book with my new email address
amalia at mediajustice.org *
*
*

amalia deloney | Associate Director |  centerformediajustice.org |
amalia at mediajustice.org <amalia at centerformediajustice.org> | 510.698.3800 x
403


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