BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 1212 Page 1 SENATE THIRD READING SB 1212 (Hueso) As Amended August 15, 2016 Majority vote SENATE VOTE: 35-3 ------------------------------------------------------------------ |Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |----------------+-----+-----------------------+-------------------| |Utilities |15-0 |Gatto, Patterson, | | | | |Burke, Chávez, Dahle, | | | | |Eggman, Cristina | | | | |Garcia, Eduardo | | | | |Garcia, Hadley, | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Roger Hernández, | | | | |Obernolte, Quirk, | | | | |Santiago, Ting, | | | | |Williams | | | | | | | |----------------+-----+-----------------------+-------------------| |Appropriations |15-0 |Gonzalez, Bigelow, | | | | |Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, | | | | |Chang, Eggman, Eduardo | | | | |Garcia, Jones, | | SB 1212 Page 2 | | |Obernolte, Quirk, | | | | |Santiago, Weber, Wood, | | | | |McCarty | | | | | | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------ SUMMARY: Authorizes the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to expend up to $1.5 million from the California Teleconnect Fund (CTF) Administrative Committee Fund to help close 2-1-1 service gaps. Specifically, this bill: 1)Authorizes the CPUC, if it determines that doing so is an appropriate use of funds collected from ratepayers, to expend up to $1.5 million from the CTF Administrative Committee Fund to help close 2-1-1 service gaps in counties lacking access to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery information and referral services, where technically feasible, through available 2-1-1 service. 2)Authorizes 2-1-1 California to apply for use of the funds in the counties that lack 2-1-1 services. 3)Specifies, if the CPUC determines that doing so is an appropriate use of funds collected from ratepayers that the costs may include implementation of a coordinated database that is owned by a city or county to provide referrals to help with nonemergency aspects of disaster planning, recovery, and response. 4)Sunsets the provisions of this bill on January 1, 2023. 5)States the intent of the Legislature to facilitate the expansion of 2-1-1 services into those counties in California where they are lacking and to support a comprehensive SB 1212 Page 3 statewide database that will connect all callers to the information and referrals they need. 6)States the intent of the Legislature to facilitate access to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery information, and referral services, uniformly in the state, especially in hard-to-serve rural areas, through a universally available 2-1-1 telephone service. FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, this bill would have costs of up to $1.5 million, over five years, to assist California 2-1-1 with efforts to close service gaps. The CPUC indicates they do not have prior expertise with funding third party entities and would need to develop a new administrative process to administer these funds. The CPUC estimates annual administrative costs of approximately $131,000 to fund one position to administer the program. COMMENTS: 1)Author's Statement: According to the author, "When an earthquake or natural disaster strikes, many Californians rely on the services that 2-1-1 California provides them, such as information regarding evacuations, return routes, access to food and water, traffic closures and safe zones. However, there are 21 counties in this state that currently lack this service [?] This bill will lay the groundwork for statewide coordination and funding to ensure all residents of California can access this critical service regardless of the region from which they are calling." 2)Background: 2-1-1 is a nationally designated three digit number used for accessing community information and referral providers. In addition, during emergency or disaster situations, 2-1-1 serves as a public information hub, in which callers may call for information on shelters, food SB 1212 Page 4 distribution, evaluations, road closures, etc. Furthermore, 2-1-1 provides contact information and access to many service hotlines, such as poison control, suicide prevention, child and adult abuse, domestic violence, shelter, etc. Thirty-seven counties in California have 2-1-1 information and referral providers. Ten counties have 2-1-1 services in development. Eleven counties do not have 2-1-1 services, including Del Norte, Modoc, Trinity, Lake, Sierra, Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Madera, and Inyo County. In 2015, counties with 2-1-1 received approximately 1.6 million 2-1-1 calls. 3)2-1-1 California: 2-1-1 California is a statewide network of 2-1-1 information and referral providers. In California, 2-1-1 is operated by private non-profit community service organizations, local governments, or local affiliates of the national organization of the United Way of America. Currently, most counties with 2-1-1- services were funded through partnerships between local health and human service agencies and nonprofits. The CPUC is tasked with authorizing one qualified local agency or information and referral center in a county to use the 2-1-1 dialing code. 4)California Teleconnect Fund: The CTF was created by the CPUC in 1996 to foster the development of a telecommunications infrastructure for California and reduce the digital divide. The program provides a 50% discount on select telecommunications and Internet access services to qualifying entities. The program is funded by a surcharge on all end users of intrastate telecommunications services. As of October 2015, the CTF surcharge is at 1.080% on all telecommunications end users. This bill authorizes the CPUC, if it determines that doing so SB 1212 Page 5 is an appropriate use of funds collected from ratepayers, to expend up to $1.5 million from the CTF Administrative Committee Fund to help close 2-1-1 service gaps in counties lacking access to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery information and referral services, where technically feasible, through available 2-1-1 services. This bill authorizes 2-1-1 California to apply for use of the funds in the counties that lack 2-1-1 services. In addition, this bill specifies that the costs may include implementation of a coordinated database that is owned by a city or county to provide referrals to help with nonemergency aspects of disaster planning, recovery, and response. Analysis Prepared by: Edmond Cheung / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083 FN: 0004222