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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          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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