BILL ANALYSIS 1 1 SENATE ENERGY, UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE ALEX PADILLA, CHAIR SB 1462 - Padilla Hearing Date: April 20, 2010 S As Introduced Non-FISCAL B 1 4 6 2 DESCRIPTION Existing law uses the terms local exchange service provider, local exchange carrier, and local exchange telephone corporation inconsistently and interchangeably. This bill would change all references to local exchange carrier. BACKGROUND The CPUC has jurisdiction over any "telephone corporation," defined as any corporation or person owning, controlling, operating, or managing any telephone line for compensation within the state. Each telephone corporation is required to obtain from the CPUC a certificate of public convenience and necessity and is subject to some level of CPUC regulation, depending on the type of service provided (local, long distance, wireless, etc.). One type of telephone corporation subject to CPUC jurisdiction is a "local exchange carrier," defined as a corporation or person providing service in a defined area through a system of switches, transmission equipment or other facilities by which a subscriber can originate and terminate a telecommunications service and connect to toll service. In general terms, a local exchange carrier is the company that is required to provide any customer living in that company's service area with landline telephone service sufficient to make local calls and connect to a long distance service provider. COMMENTS This bill makes no changes to the substantive law relating to pay-per-use service, changing service providers, or disclosure of information. This bill is merely a continuation of the Legislature's ongoing effort to make necessary technical corrections in the Public Utilities Code so that service providers and the public have a clear and accurate statement of their rights and obligations under the law. POSITIONS Sponsor: Author Support: None on file. Oppose: None on file. Jackie Kinney SB 1462 Analysis Hearing Date: April 20, 2010