BILL NUMBER: SB 379	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 25, 2011

INTRODUCED BY    Senator   Fuller 
 Senators   Fuller   and Cannella 

                        FEBRUARY 15, 2011

   An act to amend Section 709 of the Public Utilities Code, relating
to telecommunications.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 379, as amended, Fuller. Telecommunications policies.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations,
as defined. Existing law declares the policies for telecommunications
for California, including: (1) to continue our universal service
commitment by assuring the continued affordability and widespread
availability of high-quality telecommunications services to all
Californians; (2) to focus efforts on providing educational
institutions, health care institutions, community-based
organizations, and governmental institutions with access to advanced
telecommunications services in recognition of their economic and
societal impact; and (3) to promote economic growth, job creation,
and the substantial social benefits that will result from the rapid
implementation of advanced information and communications
technologies by adequate long-term investment in the necessary
infrastructure.
   This bill would instead declare the policies for  advanced
 telecommunications  and information services
 for California, including: (1) to continue our universal
service commitment by ensuring the continued affordability and
widespread availability of high-quality telecommunications 
and information  services to all Californians; (2) to focus
efforts on providing public safety institutions, educational
institutions, health care institutions, community-based
organizations, and governmental institutions with access to advanced
telecommunications and information services in recognition of their
economic and societal impact; (3) to promote economic growth, job
creation, and the substantial social benefits that will result from
the rapid implementation of advanced telecommunications and
information technologies by facilitating adequate long-term
investment in the necessary infrastructure throughout the state,
including in rural areas; and (4) to continue universal service rate
support for telephone corporations subject to rate-of-return
regulation by the commission for the purpose of providing rural areas
of the state with access to  advanced 
telecommunications  and information  services
 that are reasonably equivalent to access in urban areas
 .
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 709 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   709.  The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the policies
for  advanced telecommunications and information services
  telecommunications  in California are as follows:

   (a) To continue our universal service commitment by ensuring the
continued affordability and widespread availability of high-quality
telecommunications  and information  services to all
Californians.
   (b) To focus efforts on providing public safety institutions,
educational institutions, health care institutions, community-based
organizations, and governmental institutions with access to advanced
telecommunications and information services in recognition of their
economic and societal impact.
   (c) To continue universal service rate support for telephone
corporations subject to rate-of-return regulation by the commission
for the purpose of providing rural areas of the state with access
 to advanced telecommunications and information services that
are reasonably equivalent to access in urban areas.  
to telecommunications services. 
   (d) To encourage the development and deployment of new
technologies and the equitable provision of services in a way that
efficiently meets consumer needs and encourages the ubiquitous
availability of a wide choice of state-of-the-art services.
   (e) To assist in bridging the "digital divide" by encouraging
expanded access to state-of-the-art technologies for rural,
inner-city, low-income, and disabled Californians.
   (f) To promote economic growth, job creation, and the substantial
social benefits that will result from the rapid implementation of
advanced telecommunications and information technologies by
facilitating adequate long-term investment in the necessary
infrastructure throughout the state, including in rural areas.
   (g) To promote lower prices, broader consumer choice, and
avoidance of anticompetitive conduct.
   (h) To remove the barriers to open and competitive markets and
promote fair product and price competition in a way that encourages
greater efficiency, lower prices, and more consumer choice.
   (i) To encourage fair treatment of consumers through provision of
sufficient information for making informed choices, establishment of
reasonable service quality standards, and establishment of processes
for equitable resolution of billing and service problems.