Telecommunications: universal service: lifeline program.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. The Moore Universal Telephone Service Act establishes the Universal Lifeline Telephone Service program (lifeline program) in order to provide low-income households with access to affordable basic residential telephone service. Existing law requires the commission, by January 15, 2017, to adopt a "portability freeze" rule for the lifeline program, which requires lifeline program participants to remain with the same lifeline program service provider for a specified time period in order to remain in the program, except as specified, and requires the commission to consider including in the rule a 60-day duration for the portability freeze. This bill would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2021, to update the portability freeze rule, and would require the commission to include in the updated rule a 6-month duration, rather than a 60-day duration, of the portability freeze. The bill would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2021, to adopt updated rules for the lifeline program that include, among other things, a modified recertification process and other changes relating to enrollment, participation, and renewal in the program, as specified. The bill would require that the commission authorize only commission-approved telephone corporations to provide service using lifeline program funding. The bill would require the commission, before July 1, 2022, to determine whether to permit a lifeline telephone service subscriber to have an additional lifeline subscription for broadband services. The bill would require the commission to annually report to the Legislature on the implementation of those updated rules and lifeline participation and renewal levels by ZIP Code until specified participation goals are achieved. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission implementing its requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.