Bill Text: CA SB394 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Telecommunications: Moore Universal Telephone Service Act.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-10-09 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 765, Statutes of 2021. [SB394 Detail]

Download: California-2021-SB394-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 394

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Introduced by Senator Hueso

February 11, 2021

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An act to amend Section 878 of, and to repeal Section 872 of, the Public Utilities Code, relating to telecommunications.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 394, as introduced, Hueso. Telecommunications: Moore Universal Telephone Service Act.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. The Moore Universal Telephone Service Act established the lifeline telephone service program in order to provide low-income households with access to affordable basic residential telephone service. Existing law requires that a lifeline telephone service subscriber be provided with one lifeline subscription at the subscriber’s principal place of residence, and provides that no other member of that subscriber’s family or household, as defined, who maintains residence at that place is eligible for lifeline telephone service.

This bill would revise the definition of “household” for these purposes and would authorize multiple lifeline telephone service subscribers to maintain the same address if they are not members of the same household.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Section 872 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

872.

As used in this article, “household” means a residential dwelling that is the principal place of residence of the lifeline telephone service subscriber, and excludes any industrial, commercial, or other nonresidential building.

SEC. 2.

 Section 878 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

878.

 (a) A lifeline telephone service subscriber shall be provided with one lifeline subscription, as defined by the commission, at his or her the subscriber’s principal place of residence, and no other member of that subscriber’s family or household who maintains residence at that place is eligible for lifeline telephone service.

An

(b) An applicant for lifeline telephone service may report only one address in this state as the principal place of residence.

(c) Multiple lifeline telephone service subscribers may maintain the same address if they are not members of the same household.

(d) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Adult” means any person 18 years of age or older.

(2) “Economic unit” means all adult individuals contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household.

(3) “Household” means any group of individuals, including the subscriber, who are living together at the same address and as one economic unit. A household may include related and unrelated persons. If an adult has no, or minimal, income and lives with someone who provides financial support to that adult, both persons shall be part of the same household. A child under 18 years of age and living with a parent or guardian shall be part of the same household as the parent or guardian.