Bill Text: CA AB1557 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Communications: utility pole attachments.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2022-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB1557 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB1557-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1557

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Introduced by Assembly Member Santiago

February 19, 2021

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An act to amend Section 884 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to telecommunications.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1557, as introduced, Santiago. Broadband services.

Existing law creates the California Teleconnect Fund Administrative Committee Fund in the State Treasury, requires that moneys from the fund be expended only upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act or upon supplemental appropriation, and requires that the moneys appropriated be used exclusively by the Public Utilities Commission for authorized teleconnect programs. Existing law authorizes the commission to expend up to $2,000,000 of the unencumbered amount of moneys in that fund for the nonrecurring installation costs for high-speed broadband services for community organizations that are eligible for discounted rates, as specified. Existing law declares the intent of the Legislature that any program administered by the commission that addresses the inequality of access to high-speed broadband services by providing those services to schools and libraries at a discounted price provide comparable discounts to a nonprofit community technology program.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the provisions declaring this intent and defining terms for those purposes.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Section 884 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

884.

 (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that any program administered by the commission that addresses the inequality of access to high-speed broadband services by providing those services to schools and libraries at a discounted price, price provide comparable discounts to a nonprofit community technology program.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law or existing program of the commission, but consistent with the purposes for which those funds were appropriated from the California Teleconnect Fund Administrative Committee Fund in Item 8660-001-0493 of Section 2.00 of the Budget Act of 2003 (Chapter 157 of the Statutes of 2003), and reappropriated in Item 8660-491 of Section 2.00 of the Budget Act of 2006 (Chapter 47 of the Statutes of 2006), the commission may expend up to two million dollars ($2,000,000) of the unencumbered amount of those funds for the nonrecurring installation costs for high-speed broadband services for community organizations that are eligible for discounted rates pursuant to Section 280.

(c) For the purpose of this section: purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “High-speed broadband services” means a system for the digital transmission of information over the Internet internet at a speed of at least 384 kilobits per second.

(2) “Nonprofit community technology program” means a community-based nonprofit organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and engages in diffusing technology into local communities and training local communities that have no access to, or have limited access to, the Internet internet and advanced telecommunications technologies.