BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1212|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 1212
Author: Hueso (D), et al.
Amended: 8/15/16
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, U. & C. COMMITTEE: 10-0, 4/19/16
AYES: Hueso, Cannella, Gaines, Hertzberg, Hill, Lara, Leyva,
McGuire, Pavley, Wolk
NO VOTE RECORDED: Morrell
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 6-1, 5/27/16
AYES: Lara, Beall, Hill, McGuire, Mendoza, Nielsen
NOES: Bates
SENATE FLOOR: 35-3, 5/31/16
AYES: Allen, Bates, Beall, Berryhill, Block, Cannella, De
León, Fuller, Gaines, Galgiani, Glazer, Hall, Hancock,
Hernandez, Hertzberg, Hill, Hueso, Huff, Jackson, Lara, Leno,
Leyva, Liu, McGuire, Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning, Nguyen,
Nielsen, Pan, Pavley, Roth, Stone, Wieckowski, Wolk
NOES: Anderson, Morrell, Vidak
NO VOTE RECORDED: Moorlach, Runner
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 8/23/16 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: 2-1-1 information and referral network
SOURCE: 2-1-1 California
DIGEST: This bill authorizes the California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC) to expend up to $1.5 million from the
California Teleconnect Fund (CTF) Administrative Committee to
help close telephone service gaps in counties lacking access to
2-1-1 referral service, including implementation of a
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Page 2
coordinated publicly owned database.
Assembly Amendments are technical and clarify that the funding
may be used for a coordinated database to provide referrals if
the CPUC determines that doing so is an appropriate use of funds
collected from ratepayers.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Provides that the CPUC may supervise and regulate every public
utility in the State and may do all things, whether
specifically designated in this part or in addition thereto,
which are necessary and convenient in the exercise of such
power and jurisdiction. (Public Utilities Code §701)
2)Establishes procedures for implementing 2-1-1 dialing in
California. (CPUC D. 03-02-029, February 13, 2003)
3)Assigns 2-1-1 as a national abbreviated dialing code to be
used for access to community information and referral
services. Delegates to state commissions, including the CPUC,
the authority to certify informational and referral (I&R)
providers that will enable them to receive calls from those
who dial 2-1-1. Requires all local exchange carriers to
provide 2-1-1 call origination services at reasonable rates in
those territories that will be served by 2-1-1 (Federal
Communications Commission N11 Third Report and Order)
4)Establishes the CTF and CTF Administrative Committee which is
a program to an advisory board to advise the CPUC regarding
the deployment, implementation, and administration of a
program to advance universal service by providing discounted
rates to qualifying schools maintaining kindergarten or any of
grades 1 to 12, community colleges, libraries, hospitals,
health clinics, and community organizations. (Public
Utilities Code §280)
This bill:
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1)States the intent of the Legislature to facilitate the
expansion of 2-1-1 telephone services into those counties in
California where they are lacking and to support a
comprehensive statewide database that will connect all callers
to the information and referral providers they need.
2)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, though a universally available
2-1-1 telephone service.
3)Authorizes the CPUC to expend up to $1.5 million from the CTF
Administrative Committee for one-time costs to help close
2-1-1 service gaps in counties lacking access, where
technically feasible, through available 2-1-1 service, if the
CPUC determines that doing so is an appropriate use of funds
collected from ratepayers
4)Authorizes 2-1-1 California to apply to the CPUC for use of
the funds in the counties that lack 2-1-1 service which may
include local implementation of a coordinated database that is
owned by a city or county, if the CPUC determines that doing
so is an appropriate use of funds collected from ratepayers.
5)States this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2023.
Background
N11 Codes. Under its authority over the North American
Numbering Plan, the FCC establishes several abbreviated dialing
codes, including designating three digit numbers such as 9-1-1
for emergency services. On July 31, 2000, the FCC issued its
N11 Third Report and Order assigning the 2-1-1 dialing code as a
national abbreviated dialing code to be used for access to
community I&R providers. The FCC noted in its N11 Third Report
and Order that the assignment of the 2-1-1 code to I&R providers
satisfies the public interest standards for assignments of N11
codes, and recognizes that a great public need can be met
through the implementation of a 2-1-1 dialing program. The FCC
noted that the use of the 2-1-1 dialing code has the potential
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to provide Californians with easy access to information
concerning child care services, housing assistance, physical and
mental health resources, aging and hospice services, educational
and other programs. Such information is not currently available
through the 9-1-1 emergency code or the 3-1-1 police
non-emergency code, two previously authorized N11 codes.
About 2-1-1 services. 2-1-1 is the free telephone number by
which Californians can obtain I&R to health and human service
programs. Generally, 2-1-1 provides telephone and web services
that promote public safety during non-emergency situations.
During emergency or disaster situations, 2-1-1 provides critical
public information, such as information on shelters, food
distribution, evacuations, road closures and transportation
issues, utility outages, school closures, medical and housing
assistance, government aid, mitigation and repairs, such as sand
bags, emergency alerts, such as riots and looting, as well as
public health warnings. Additionally, 2-1-1 service providers
offer contact information and access to many local, state and
national hotlines, including poison control, suicide, child
abuse, adult abuse, teen bullying/cyber-bullying and other
crises, domestic violence, veteran issues, immediate shelter,
food and health needs, and many other social services that are
not currently addressed by either 9-1-1 or 3-1-1 services.
2-1-1 use in California. In 2014, over 1.7 million Californians
called 2-1-1 for help finding needed community services such as
rent and mortgage assistance, food and shelter, healthcare, job
training, transportation, childcare, and senior care. For
example, 2-1-1 services have been important gateways for
enrolling low- and moderate-income families in health insurance
programs, including Healthy Families and county-based Children's
Health Initiatives. In the same year, over 1 million unique
hits were tracked on 211 Web sites across the state. 2-1-1 also
plays a critical role in providing information and support in
times of disaster, such as evacuation, shelter, food, medical
and recovery information, and providing public officials with
feedback from callers about changing conditions. For example,
in 2007 during the San Diego wild fires local 2-1-1s handled
130,000 calls in five days.
CPUC role. The CPUC authorizes one qualifying local agency in a
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county the use of the 2-1-1 dial code. This designation allows
the lead agency to provide the 2-1-1 referral services for the
county. I&R centers seeking to utilize the 2-1-1 dial code must
apply directly to the CPUC for rights to use this special three
digit dialing code. The CPUC has approved 2-1-1 services in 37
counties serving approximately 95 percent of California's
population (noted on the following map). Most of these counties
have funded their 2-1-1 services via partnerships between local
health and human services agencies and nonprofits. For example,
Sacramento County notes its program is funded by First 5
Sacramento Commission, Sacramento County Office of Emergency
Services, Agency on Aging, Goodwill Industries of Sacramento
Valley & Northern Nevada, Sacramento Superior Court, Kaiser and
contributions from the community.
Some counties are left out. While most counties have 2-1-1 I&R
providers, 21 counties currently lack the service.
Specifically, the following 10 counties are currently developing
their 2-1-1 service: Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Mono,
Plumas, Placer, Siskiyou, Sutter, and Yuba. Another 11 counties
lack the service and do not have programs in development:
Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Del Norte, Inyo, Lake, Madera, Modoc,
Sierra, Trinity, and Tuolumne.
California Teleconnect Fund Administrative Committee. The CTF
is a program to advance universal service by providing
discounted rates to qualifying schools maintaining kindergarten
or any of grades 1 to 12, community colleges, libraries,
hospitals, health clinics, and community organizations. The
program is funded by a surcharge assessed on revenues collected
from endusers for intrastate telecommunications services subject
to surcharge. The current surcharge rate is 1.080 percent.
According to the CPUC, the CTF Administrative Committee is
required to submit a proposed budget to the CPUC on or before
June 1 of each year. The CTF Administrative Committee submitted
a letter, dated August 10, 2015, to the CPUC's Executive
Director seeking approval of a proposed budget for the program
of $117,915,000 for FY 2016-17. It's unclear whether the use of
this or any other ratepayer fund is appropriate to fund the
2-1-1 program.
This bill. This bill authorizes the CPUC, if it determines that
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doing so is in 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. The
sponsor of this bill states the additional costs for both the
expanded service and the coordinated statewide referral database
may be about one million dollars. Since all the currently
covered counties have largely utilized local resources and
contributions from charitable organizations and individuals, the
CPUC may want to ensure the counties served by this funding have
made reasonable efforts to secure local and other funding.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:
Up to $1.5 million (CTF Administrative Committee Fund), 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.
SUPPORT: (Verified8/23/16)
2-1-1 California (source)
2-1-1 Nevada County
2-1-1 Orange County
Advancement Project
American Red Cross
California Emergency Services Association
California State Association of Counties
Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County
Contra Costa Crisis Center
Corona-Norco United Way
Eden I&R/2-1-1 Alameda County
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First 5 Humboldt
Humboldt County
Humboldt County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services
Humboldt Network of Family Resource Centers
Los Angeles County, Chief Executive Office, Office of Emergency
Management
Orange County United Way
Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health Prevention
Early Intervention
Rural County Representatives of California
Sacramento Region Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
San Bernardino County
Supervisor Greg Cox, San Diego County
United Way of San Diego County
United Way of San Luis Obispo County
United Ways of California
Ventura County Board of Supervisors
Yolo County
One Individual
OPPOSITION: (Verified8/23/16)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: The author states: "SB 1212 will take
the next step in developing a statewide 2-1-1 disaster response
network and close the gap in 211 coverage to provide access for
rural areas in California that do not currently have 211
service. It will make eligible the 2-1-1 network for state
funding. 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."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 8/23/16
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Arambula, Atkins, Baker,
Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke,
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Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley,
Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier,
Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson,
Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger
Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey,
Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes,
McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte,
O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Quirk, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez,
Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting,
Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood, Rendon
NO VOTE RECORDED: Beth Gaines
Prepared by:Nidia Bautista / E., U., & C. / (916) 651-4107
8/23/16 19:54:36
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