State lawmakers take action on a federal program that provides free cell phones to low income individuals.
This comes after an eight-month FOX23 investigation.
FOX23 found fraud and waste in the government-run program called Lifeline.
Oklahoma House of Representatives voted to add accountability the program administered by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
House Bill 2165, by state Rep. Jon Echols, would authorize the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to require more documentation from phone service providers receiving money through the Lifeline program and penalize providers who fail to provide documentation.
Phone service companies TerraCom LLC and YourTel America Inc. recently agreed to payments to resolve investigations by the Federal Communications Commission into their participation in the Lifeline program. The FCC’s investigation found the companies failed to adequately track individuals who signed up for the Lifeline program and that customers were receiving duplicate landline or wireless services through the program.
The bill now goes to the state Senate.
