California Advanced Services Fund.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. Existing law establishes, among other funds related to telecommunications, the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) in the State Treasury. Existing law requires the commission to develop, implement, and administer the CASF to encourage the deployment of high-quality advanced communications services to all Californians that will promote economic growth, job creation, and the substantial social benefits of advanced information and communications technologies, as provided in specified decisions of the commission and in the CASF statute. Existing law requires the commission to approve infrastructure projects supported by expenditures from the fund that provide last-mile broadband access to households that are unserved by an existing facilities-based broadband provider. Existing law requires any CASF application, and any amendment to an application, for project funding to be served on a specified service list and posted on the commission's Internet Web site at least 30 days before publishing the corresponding draft resolution. This bill would require a CASF application or amendment to be served and posted at least 45 days, instead of 30 days, before publishing the corresponding draft resolution.