Telephone corporations: carriers of last resort.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix just and reasonable rates and charges for public utilities. Existing law requires the commission, on or before February 1, 1995, to issue an order initiating an investigation and open proceeding to examine the current and future definitions of universal service in telecommunications. Pursuant to that provision, the commission issued a decision involving carriers of last resort, including the withdrawal process for carriers of last resort, defined as a carrier who provides local exchange service and stands ready to provide basic service to any customer requesting basic service within a specified area. This bill would require the commission, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, to adopt a process through which a telephone corporation acting as a carrier of last resort is authorized to seek relief from their carrier of last resort obligations in a census block where the United States Census Bureau reports no population and where the telephone corporation provides no basic exchange service to any customer address located within the area, and in a census block that is well-served, as defined. The bill would require the commission, on or before December 15, 2026, to adopt a map designating well-served areas. The bill would require that the process include specified notice and challenge requirements. The bill would require a telephone corporation to meet certain requirements during specified time periods following the date that amended status is granted by the commission, as provided. The bill would create the Public Safety Agency Technology Upgrade Grant Fund, provide that moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated to the commission for purposes of public safety agency technology upgrade grants, and authorize the fund to accept donations from nongovernmental entities. The bill would exempt specified services and locations from its provisions. Under existing law, a violation of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because a violation of a commission action implementing this bill's requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.