BILL ANALYSIS
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1934|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 445-6614 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1934
Author: Corbett (D)
Amended: 6/20/02 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, U.&C. COMMITTEE : 8-0, 6/11/02
AYES: Bowen, Morrow, Alarcon, Battin, Dunn, Murray, Sher,
Speier
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 74-0, 5/13/02 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Telephone corporations: background security
checks
SOURCE : Communication Workers of America
DIGEST : This bill, beginning January 1, 2003, requires
telephone corporations to perform background checks on
applicants who will have access to the telephone network on
the customers premises.
ANALYSIS : Existing law permits telephone corporations to
construct own, control, operate and manage telephone lines
and to provide telephone service for compensation in the
state, subject to regulation by the Public Utilities
Commission.
This bill requires telephone corporations to perform
background checks on applicants for employment if that
applicant would have access to the telephone network or the
customer premises, and the applicant would perform
CONTINUED
AB 1934
Page
2
activities involving installation, service, or repair of
the telephone network.
This bill requires telephone corporation contractors and
vendors to perform background checks if their employees
would have access to the telephone network or the customer
premises, and the employee would perform activities
involving installation, service, or repair of the telephone
network. Independent contractors and vendors would be
required to certify that they have obtained the background
checks and make those background checks available to the
telephone corporation, upon request.
This bill wouldn't require background checks to be
conducted for temporary workers performing emergency
functions resulting from a natural disaster or an emergency
threatening loss of service.
The above provisions apply only to applicants for
employment who apply for employment on or after January 1,
2003 and to contracts entered into on or after January 1,
2003.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/25/02)
Communication Workers of America (source)
California Public Utilities Commission
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The author notes that our society
is dependent on the integrity of our telecommunications
system in many ways, including air traffic control,
emergency services dispatch, military, business and
personal communications. Disruptions in the communications
system can be devastating to a community. Furthermore,
telephone company employees work around the clock, some in
remote locations, interacting with contractors and vendors.
It is sensible to take steps to reduce risks.
According to the author, the telephone companies are
routinely completing background checks on their applicants
for employment, even though they are not required to do so
AB 1934
Page
3
by law. But, they are not exercising similar caution when
it comes to contractors. This bill would require
background checks on contractors and vendors similar to
that which is current practice for employees.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Aanestad, Alquist, Aroner, Ashburn, Bates, Bogh,
Briggs, Calderon, Bill Campbell, John Campbell,
Canciamilla, Cardenas, Cardoza, Chan, Chavez, Chu,
Cogdill, Cohn, Corbett, Correa, Cox, Daucher, Diaz,
Dickerson, Dutra, Firebaugh, Florez, Frommer, Harman,
Havice, Horton, Jackson, Keeley, Kehoe, Kelley, Koretz,
La Suer, Leonard, Leslie, Longville, Lowenthal, Maddox,
Maldonado, Matthews, Migden, Mountjoy, Nakano, Nation,
Negrete McLeod, Oropeza, Robert Pacheco, Rod Pacheco,
Papan, Pavley, Pescetti, Reyes, Richman, Runner, Salinas,
Shelley, Simitian, Steinberg, Strickland, Strom-Martin,
Thomson, Vargas, Washington, Wayne, Wiggins, Wright,
Wyland, Wyman, Zettel, Wesson
RJG:sl 6/25/02 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****