BILL NUMBER: AB 2570 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 577
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 24, 2016
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 24, 2016
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 23, 2016
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 31, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 19, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 15, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 30, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 14, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 1, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Quirk
FEBRUARY 19, 2016
An act to add Section 878.5 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to telecommunications.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2570, Quirk. Telecommunications: universal service:
reimbursement claims.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations.
The Moore Universal Telephone Service Act establishes the Universal
Lifeline Telephone Service program in order to provide low-income
households with access to affordable basic residential telephone
service. The act requires that a lifeline telephone service
subscriber be provided with one lifeline subscription, as defined by
the commission, at his or her principal place of residence.
This bill would require the commission to adopt a portability
freeze rule for the lifeline program by January 15, 2017, and would
require the commission to consider including certain features as part
of the rule.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 878.5 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
878.5. The commission shall adopt a portability freeze rule for
the lifeline program by January 15, 2017. The commission shall
consider including all of the following in the rule:
(a) A 60-day duration of the portability freeze.
(b) A period of time when a subscriber would be able to terminate
lifeline service without penalty, similar to provisions established
in Section 4.13.5 of commission Decision 14-01-036 (January 16,
2014), Decision Adopting Revisions to Modernize and Expand the
California Lifeline Program.
(c) A requirement that the administrator of the lifeline program
provide a telephone corporation providing lifeline service with
real-time information concerning whether a subscriber has enrolled
with another telephone corporation during the period of the
portability freeze adopted by the commission pursuant to this section
and, if the subscriber enrolled during this period, the date of
enrollment.