Prepaid communications services: taxes: fees: surcharges: report.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations, except to the extent regulation of commercial mobile radio service is preempted by federal regulation. This bill would require the PUC, within 60 days of the effective date of the bill, to conduct a public process to consult with, and hear comments from, interested parties, as described, for the purpose of developing recommendations for an equitable and uniform method of collecting state and local communications taxes, fees, and surcharges from prepaid communications end-user consumers, and to report those recommendations to the Legislature. This bill would also make legislative findings and declarations regarding equitable contributions to the funding of state and local communications services and programs by consumers of prepaid communications services.