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.