Liability & Responsiblity

Warning

Senate Bill 309 sets the penalty at one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both for obtaining telecommunication services through the use of false, unauthorized or fictitious telephone numbers or credit card numbers. Also covered are use of a code or prearranged scheme or any other trick or false representation used to obtain telephone service.

House Bill 921 makes it a felony for anyone to intentionally break, cut, pull, tear down or injure any telephone, telegraph or electrical transmission wire, post machinery or other attachments to such line, or to obstruct or interfere with the transmission of messages or electricity along such line. Penalties are from two to five years in the penitentiary or a fine from $100 to $2,000.

The laws of the state of Texas provide that any person who shall willfully refuse to immediately relinquish a party line when informed that such a line is needed far an emergency call to a fire department or police department or for medical aid or ambulance service, or any person who shall secure the use of a party line by falsely stating that such a line is needed for an emergency call, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. The law defines an "emergency" as a "situation in which property or human life is in jeopardy and prompt summoning of aid is essential." Violation of this law is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine ranging from $25 to $500, maximum of 1 month in jail or both such fine and imprisonment (Vernon's Statutes, Article 1432A).

Obscene or Harassing Calls

The laws of Texas provide that it is unlawful for any person to make a telephone call during which he makes any comment, request, suggestion or proposal that is lewd and lascivious or make a telephone call without disclosing his identity and with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person. Violation of this law is a Class B misdemeanor and punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days or both such fine and imprisonment (Federal Communications Act, Section 223/Texas Penal Code, Section 42.07). Anyone who receives annoyance calls should contact the Telephone Company business office and if a threat is involved, should also call the police.

Statement of Nondiscrimination

GVTC is the recipient of Federal financial assistance from the Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the provisions of Title Vl of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provide that no person in the United States on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap shall be excluded from participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any of this organization's programs or activities.

The person responsible for coordinating this organization's nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Vice President, Human Resource, Benefits and Public Relations. Any individual, or specific class of individuals, who feels that this organization has subjected them to discrimination, may obtain further information about the statutes and regulations listed above from and/or file a written complaint with this organization; or the Secretary, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250; or the Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, Washington, D C. 20250. Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discrimination. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible.