Bill Text: CA SB379 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Telecommunications: universal service: regulation.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 14-3)
Status: (Passed) 2012-09-28 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 729, Statutes of 2012. [SB379 Detail]
Download: California-2011-SB379-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Telecommunications: universal service: regulation.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 14-3)
Status: (Passed) 2012-09-28 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 729, Statutes of 2012. [SB379 Detail]
Download: California-2011-SB379-Introduced.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 379 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Fuller FEBRUARY 15, 2011 An act to amend Section 709 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to telecommunications. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 379, as introduced, Fuller. Telecommunications policies. Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations, as defined. Existing law declares the policies for telecommunications for California, including: (1) to continue our universal service commitment by assuring the continued affordability and widespread availability of high-quality telecommunications services to all Californians; (2) to focus efforts on providing educational institutions, health care institutions, community-based organizations, and governmental institutions with access to advanced telecommunications services in recognition of their economic and societal impact; and (3) to promote economic growth, job creation, and the substantial social benefits that will result from the rapid implementation of advanced information and communications technologies by adequate long-term investment in the necessary infrastructure. This bill would instead declare the policies for advanced telecommunications and information services for California, including: (1) to continue our universal service commitment by ensuring the continued affordability and widespread availability of high-quality telecommunications and information services to all Californians; (2) to focus efforts on providing public safety institutions, educational institutions, health care institutions, community-based organizations, and governmental institutions with access to advanced telecommunications and information services in recognition of their economic and societal impact; (3) to promote economic growth, job creation, and the substantial social benefits that will result from the rapid implementation of advanced telecommunications and information technologies by facilitating adequate long-term investment in the necessary infrastructure throughout the state, including in rural areas; and (4) to continue universal service rate support for telephone corporations subject to rate-of-return regulation by the commission for the purpose of providing rural areas of the state with access to advanced telecommunications and information services that are reasonably equivalent to access in urban areas. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 709 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read: 709. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the policies for advanced telecommunications and information services in California are as follows: (a) To continue our universal service commitment byassuringensuring the continued affordability and widespread availability of high-quality telecommunications and information services to all Californians. (b) To focus efforts on providing public safety institutions, educational institutions, health care institutions, community-based organizations, and governmental institutions with access to advanced telecommunications and information services in recognition of their economic and societal impact. (c) To continue universal service rate support for telephone corporations subject to rate-of-return regulation by the commission for the purpose of providing rural areas of the state with access to advanced telecommunications and information services that are reasonably equivalent to access in urban areas.(c)(d) To encourage the development and deployment of new technologies and the equitable provision of services in a way that efficiently meets consumerneedneeds and encourages the ubiquitous availability of a wide choice of state-of-the-art services.(d)(e) To assist in bridging the "digital divide" by encouraging expanded access to state-of-the-art technologies for rural, inner-city, low-income, and disabled Californians.(e)(f) To promote economic growth, job creation, and the substantial social benefits that will result from the rapid implementation of advanced telecommunications and informationand communicationstechnologies by facilitating adequate long-term investment in the necessary infrastructure throughout the state, including in rural areas .(f)(g) To promote lower prices, broader consumer choice, and avoidance of anticompetitive conduct.(g)(h) To remove the barriers to open and competitive markets and promote fair product and price competition in a way that encourages greater efficiency, lower prices, and more consumer choice.(h)(i) To encourage fair treatment of consumers through provision of sufficient information for making informed choices, establishment of reasonable service quality standards, and establishment of processes for equitable resolution of billing and service problems.