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SB-444 Telecommunications: Moore Universal Telephone Service Act.(2015-2016)

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2015–2016 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 444

Introduced by Senator Fuller

February 25, 2015

An act to amend Section 873 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to telecommunications.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 444, as introduced, Fuller. Telecommunications: Moore Universal Telephone Service Act.
The Moore Universal Telephone Service Act established the Universal Lifeline Telephone Service program in order to provide low-income households with access to affordable basic residential telephone service. The act requires the commission to: (1) annually designate a class of lifeline service necessary to meet minimum communications needs, including the ability to originate and receive calls and the ability to access electronic information services, (2) set the rates and charges for that service, (3) develop eligibility criteria for that service, and (4) assess the degree of achievement of universal service, including penetration rates by income, ethnicity, and geography. The act requires that these 4 items of information be annually reported to the Legislature by the commission in a document that can be made public.
This bill would make a nonsubstantive revision to the provision requiring that the items of information be annually reported to the Legislature by the commission in a document that can be made public.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 873 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

873.
 (a) (1) The commission shall annually do all of the following:
(A) Designate a class of lifeline service necessary to meet minimum communications needs.
(B) Set the rates and charges for that service.
(C) Develop eligibility criteria for that service.
(D) Assess the degree of achievement of universal service, including telephone penetration rates by income, ethnicity, and geography.
(2) This information shall be annually reported to the Legislature by the commission in a document which that can be made public.
(b) Minimum communications needs includes, but is not limited to, the ability to originate and receive calls and the ability to access electronic information services.