BILL NUMBER: SB 1863	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 27, 2002
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 20, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 1, 2002

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Bowen

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2002

   An act to amend Section 709 of, and to add Section 884 to, the
Public Utilities Code, relating to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1863, as amended, Bowen.  Telecommunications services.
   Existing law declares the Legislature's policies for
telecommunications in California.
   This bill would include, in the Legislature's policies for
telecommunications in California, providing educational institutions,
health care institutions, community-based organizations, and
governmental institutions with access to advanced telecommunications
services in recognition of their economic and societal impact.  The
bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the Public
Utilities Commission should provide  community-based
organizations   a nonprofit community technology
program, as defined,  with comparable discounts  for
community technology programs, as defined,  that are
provided to schools and libraries to address inequality of access to
advanced telecommunications services.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  no.
State-mandated local program:  no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 709 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   709.  The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the policies
for telecommunications in California are as follows:
   (a) To continue our universal service commitment by assuring the
continued affordability and widespread availability of high-quality
telecommunications services to all Californians.
   (b) To focus efforts on providing educational institutions, health
care institutions, community based organizations, and governmental
institutions with access to advanced telecommunications services in
recognition of their economic and societal impact.
   (c) To encourage the development and deployment of new
technologies and the equitable provision of services in a way that
efficiently meets consumer need and encourages the ubiquitous
availability of a wide choice of state-of-the-art services.
   (d) To promote economic growth, job creation, and the substantial
social benefits that will result from the rapid implementation of
advanced information and communications technologies by adequate
long-term investment in the necessary infrastructure.
   (e) To promote lower prices, broader consumer choice, and
avoidance of anticompetitive conduct.
   (f) To remove the barriers to open and competitive markets and
promote fair product and price competition in a way that encourages
greater efficiency, lower prices, and more consumer choice.
  SEC. 2.  Section 884 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   884.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that any program
administered by the commission that addresses the inequality of
access to advanced telecommunications services by providing those
services to schools and libraries at a discounted price should also
provide comparable discounts to  community based
organizations for community technology programs.
   (b) For purposes of this section, a "community technology program"
is a program provided by a community based, nonprofit organization
that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code that disseminates technology in local communities and
trains local communities in the use of technology.   a
nonprofit community technology program.
   (b) For the purpose of this section, "nonprofit community
technology program" means a community-based nonprofit organization
that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code and engages in diffusing technology into local
communities and training local communities that have no access to, or
have limited access to, the Internet and other technologies.