Roderick Wright
- Democratic
Author
(1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. Existing law requires the commission to oversee administration of the state's telecommunications universal service programs, including the deaf and disabled programs, which are funded through the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative Committee Fund. Existing law, until January 1, 2014, requires the commission to establish a surcharge, not to exceed 0.5%, that is uniformly applied to a subscriber's intrastate telephone service charges to allow providers of the equipment and service provided pursuant to the deaf and disabled programs to recover their costs. Existing law, until January 1, 2016, requires the commission to submit a report on the fiscal status of the programs to the Legislature on or before December 31 of each year. Existing law requires the report to include, among other things, an evaluation of options for controlling program expenses and program efficiency, as specified. This bill would extend imposition of the surcharge until January 1, 2020. The bill would extend the reporting requirements until January 1, 2021, and would require the commission to submit the report to the Legislature on or before March 1 of each year. This bill would also require the report to include an evaluation of any modification to the program that would maximize participation and funding opportunities under similar federal programs. As part of the report that is due no later than March 1, 2014, this bill would require the commission to evaluate options for controlling the program costs of providing speech-generating devices, and include any information on barriers to participation by eligible subscribers. (2) Existing law requires the commission to design and implement a program to provide access to a speech-generating telecommunications device to any subscriber who is certified as having a speech disability at no charge additional to the basic exchange rate. Existing law also requires the commission to expand the deaf and disabled program to include assistance to individuals with speech disabilities, including assistance in purchasing speech-generating devices, accessories, and mounting systems, and specialized telecommunications equipment. This bill would delete the first provision, described above, that requires the commission to expand the program to include assistance to individuals with speech disabilities, including assistance in purchasing speech-generating devices, accessories, and mounting systems, and specialized telecommunications equipment. (3) Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that existing members of the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative Committee should serve out their current terms of office as members of the committee, but not to exceed July 1, 2003. Existing law requires the committee to develop and submit, not later that October 1, 2002, recommendations to the commission for administration and governance of the deaf and disabled programs, as prescribed. The bill would repeal these provisions. (4) Under the Public Utilities Act, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission by a public utility is a crime. Because the bill would require an order or decision of the commission to extend the surcharge funding the deaf and disabled programs and because a violation of these requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the definition of a crime. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 332, Statutes of 2013.
Approved by the Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
Motion to reconsider made by Senator Wright.
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 2165.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2167.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
Reconsideration granted. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2167.)
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 72. Noes 1. Page 2870.) Ordered to the Senate.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (August 30).
Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on U. & C.
Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 34. Noes 0. Page 904.) Ordered to the Assembly.
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 1. Page 816.) (May 6).
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Set for hearing May 6.
Hearing postponed by committee.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Set for hearing April 29.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 389.) (April 2).
Set for hearing April 2.
From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 23.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| SB129 | HTML |
| 01/23/13 - Introduced | |
| 04/16/13 - Amended Senate | |
| 04/23/13 - Amended Senate | |
| 04/30/13 - Amended Senate | |
| 06/05/13 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/09/13 - Enrolled | |
| 09/23/13 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| No related documents. |
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