AB 1271 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Communications: broadband internet service providers.

Summary

Existing law, the Digital Equity Bill of Rights, provides that it is the principle of the state to ensure digital equity for all residents of the state, that, among other things, residents have access to broadband that meets specific requirements, and provides that it is the policy of the state that, to the extent technically feasible, broadband internet subscribers benefit from equal access to broadband internet service within the service area of a broadband provider. This bill, contingent upon funding for this purpose, would require a broadband internet service provider, on or before January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, to submit to the Department of Consumer Affairs, or the Department of Broadband and Digital Equity if Assembly Bill 693 of the 2025–26 Regular Session is enacted, a report containing broadband internet access service pricing and speed data that includes, among other information, the advertised speeds offered to consumers and the advertised and total prices paid by consumers. The bill would require the department to publish an annual broadband internet access service affordability and speed report aggregating and analyzing the data submitted by the broadband internet service providers and would require the department to make the data submitted by broadband internet service providers available to the public, as specified. The bill would make a broadband internet service provider that fails to comply with these provisions subject to an administrative penalty not to exceed $1,000 per violation per day until compliance is achieved. This bill would require a broadband internet service provider to establish and maintain a dedicated consumer complaint resolution process that allows consumers to submit complaints via telephone, email, and an online portal, and would require a broadband internet service provider to respond to a complaint within 7 business days and provide a resolution, explanation, or corrective action within a specified timeframe. The bill would prescribe remedies for a consumer if a broadband internet service provider fails to resolve a complaint within the specified timeframe or refuses to act in good faith, including the issuance of a minimum credit of $50 for a complaint that remains unresolved beyond 60 days without valid justification. The bill would require a broadband internet service provider to disclose the complaint resolution process and remedies clearly and conspicuously in its terms of service, in its billing statements, and on its internet website. The bill would require a broadband internet service provider to report complaint statistics to the department, as specified. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

Issues: ✓ Technology

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/28/25 - Amended Assembly → 04/10/25 - Amended Assembly · 8 edits · Apr 10, 2025

MODERATE

AB 1271 was substantially restructured in this amendment. A new Section 1 with legislative findings was added, replacing a simple statement of legislative intent. The bill now explicitly ties public data access to the California Public Records Act, adds a requirement for the department to adopt a publicly accessible data reporting template, and makes rulemaking discretionary rather than mandatory. Several definitions were refined, including a new 'speed performance' term and a new cross-reference to Civil Code Section 3100 for 'broadband internet access service.'

SCOPE

A new Section 1 was added containing legislative findings and declarations about broadband internet access service, factors affecting speed performance, and the public interest in ensuring subscribers receive advertised speeds. This replaced a simple statement of legislative intent to bring transparency to internet speeds.

DEFINITION

New definition of 'broadband internet access service' was added, cross-referencing Section 3100 of the Civil Code. A new definition of 'speed performance' was also added, defined as 'the speed delivered to the customer.'

The definition of 'broadband internet service provider' was changed from 'any business that provides' to 'any business entity that provides,' potentially narrowing or clarifying who is covered.

REQUIREMENT

The reporting requirements in Section 21221 were expanded to include 'speed performance' as a separate required data element, and the term 'broadband pricing and speed data' was changed to 'broadband internet access service pricing and speed data' throughout.

A new requirement was added in Section 21223(b) that the department shall adopt a data reporting template for entities to report broadband pricing and speed data, and that this template must be in an open data format readily accessible to the public.

ENFORCEMENT

Public data availability in Section 21222(b) was rewritten to explicitly require compliance with the California Public Records Act (Government Code Division 10), rather than leaving the standard solely to departmental discretion. This gives the public a stronger legal basis for accessing the data.

The rulemaking authority in Section 21223 was changed from 'shall adopt rules and regulations' to 'may adopt rules and regulations,' making it discretionary rather than mandatory. This gives the department flexibility but removes the obligation to issue implementing regulations.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee determination changed from 'no' to 'yes' and the state-mandated local program determination changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amendment triggered new fiscal analysis requirements.

04/10/25 - Amended Assembly → 04/21/25 - Amended Assembly · 8 edits · Apr 21, 2025

MODERATE

The April 21 amendment to AB 1271 makes two major changes: it removes the requirement for broadband providers to certify reported data under penalty of perjury (eliminating the state-mandated local program finding), and it adds an entirely new consumer complaint resolution framework requiring providers to respond to complaints within set timeframes, offer specific remedies including a minimum $50 credit for unresolved complaints, and report quarterly complaint statistics to the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded significantly by adding consumer complaint resolution requirements with specific remedies and quarterly reporting obligations, while narrowing the data transparency requirement by removing actual speed data. The perjury-based enforcement mechanism was removed entirely, shifting the enforcement model from criminal penalty to administrative penalties and consumer remedies.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed the requirement that broadband internet service providers certify the accuracy and completeness of reported data under penalty of perjury. This also eliminated the state-mandated local program finding and the related no-reimbursement provision.

Changed the Department of Consumer Affairs rulemaking authority from 'shall adopt rules and regulations' to 'may adopt rules and regulations,' making rulemaking discretionary rather than mandatory.

REQUIREMENT

Narrowed the data reporting requirement: providers must now report only advertised speeds (not actual speeds) and advertised and total prices (not actual aggregated total prices). The definition of broadband pricing and speed data was similarly narrowed to remove references to actual speeds.

Added Section 21224 requiring broadband providers to establish a dedicated consumer complaint resolution process accessible via telephone, email, and online portal, with tracking numbers, a 7-business-day response requirement, and a 30-day resolution deadline (extendable to 60 days with written explanation).

Added Section 21225 prescribing consumer remedies for unresolved complaints or bad faith: refunds for billing disputes, prorated credits or full refunds for service failures, free hardware replacement if provider equipment is the likely cause of degraded service, waiver of early termination fees for breach of contract, and a minimum $50 credit for any complaint unresolved beyond 60 days without valid justification.

Added Section 21226 requiring providers to disclose the complaint resolution process and remedies in their terms of service, billing statements, and website, and to report quarterly complaint statistics (number received, types, average resolution time, number exceeding 60 days) to the Department of Consumer Affairs.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition of 'consumer complaint' covering service quality issues, billing discrepancies, contractual disputes, and customer service failures.

Changed the definition of 'broadband internet service provider' from 'any business entity' to 'any entity,' potentially broadening which entities are covered.

04/21/25 - Amended Assembly → 04/30/25 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Apr 30, 2025

MODERATE

The April 30 amendment to AB 1271 makes three substantive policy changes: it adds funding contingency language requiring legislative appropriation before key provisions take effect, it conditionally redirects oversight to the Department of Broadband and Digital Equity if companion bill AB 693 is enacted, and it narrows the penalty and rulemaking authority to cover only the data reporting sections rather than the entire chapter. A new data element requiring complaint statistics in the annual report was also added.

FISCAL

New funding contingency subdivisions were added to Sections 21221(c), 21222(c), and 21223(d), making implementation of the data reporting, public data publication, and penalty provisions contingent upon sufficient funding being appropriated by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or other statute.

SCOPE

The definition of 'Department' was changed from a fixed reference to the Department of Consumer Affairs to a conditional one: it means an identified program within the Department of Consumer Affairs, unless AB 693 of the 2025-26 Regular Session is enacted, in which case it means the Department of Broadband and Digital Equity. This creates a potential transfer of regulatory authority based on a companion bill.

REQUIREMENT

A new item (a)(5) was added to Section 21221 requiring broadband providers to include complaint statistics in their annual data report: number of complaints received, types of complaints, average resolution time, and number of unresolved complaints exceeding 60 days.

ENFORCEMENT

Section 21223(a) was narrowed from penalizing failure to comply with 'this chapter, Section 21221' to only 'comply with Section 21221,' limiting the $1,000 per violation per day penalty to data reporting violations specifically rather than all provisions of the chapter.

Section 21223(c) was narrowed from authorizing rules to 'implement and enforce this chapter' to only 'implement and enforce Sections 21221 and 21222,' excluding the consumer complaint resolution sections (21224-21226) from the department's rulemaking authority under this provision.

02/21/25 - Introduced → 03/28/25 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Mar 28, 2025

MODERATE

AB 1271 was transformed from a placeholder bill containing only a statement of legislative intent into a full regulatory framework requiring broadband internet service providers to submit annual pricing and speed data reports to the Department of Consumer Affairs starting January 1, 2027. The amended version adds an entire new chapter (Sections 21220-21223) to the Business and Professions Code with definitions, reporting requirements, perjury certifications, audit authority, public data publication mandates, and administrative penalties up to $1,000 per violation per day.

SCOPE

Added new Chapter 8.2 (Sections 21220-21223) to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, creating an enforceable regulatory regime for broadband internet service providers operating in California.

The bill changed from a non-operative intent statement (no enforceable provisions) to a full regulatory framework with specific deadlines, reporting obligations, and penalties. Fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes' and state-mandated local program changed from 'no' to 'yes.'

DEFINITION

Defined 'broadband internet service provider' as any business providing broadband internet access service to customers in the state, and defined 'broadband pricing and speed data' to include advertised/actual speeds, promotional and aggregated pricing, plan structures, and census-tract-level data.

REQUIREMENT

Requires broadband providers to submit annual reports by January 1, 2027 (and annually thereafter) containing pricing and speed data at census tract or address level in machine-readable format, including advertised vs. actual speeds, all fees and surcharges, and plan breakdowns.

Requires the Department of Consumer Affairs to publish an annual broadband affordability and speed report and make collected data available to the public in open-data format, with exceptions for proprietary business information and personally identifiable information.

ENFORCEMENT

Requires providers to certify data accuracy under penalty of perjury; grants the Department of Consumer Affairs audit authority; imposes administrative penalties up to $1,000 per violation per day until compliance is achieved.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

lower

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

lower

May 14, 2025

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

May 1, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 2.) (April 29).

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 9).

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on C. & C.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on C. & C. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Coms. on C. & C. and B. & P.

lower

Feb 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To print.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors