BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 210
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   June 29, 2005

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                   Judy Chu, Chair

                   SB 210 (Bowen) - As Introduced:  March 14, 2005 

          Policy Committee:                              UtilitiesVote:8-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill extends, from 2006 to 2010, the sunset on a Public  
          Utilities Commission (PUC) surcharge to fund the Deaf and  
          Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP).

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Extends for four years a program with expenditures estimated to  
          total $69.6 million in the current fiscal year. [Deaf and  
          Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative Committee  
          Fund]

           COMMENTS  

           1)Background  . Since the 1980's, the PUC has administered  
            programs that assist the deaf and disabled in using telephone  
            service. The programs, collectively known as the Deaf and  
            Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP), provide  
            specialized telecommunications equipment, discounted telephone  
            rates, and a telecommunications translator service, known as a  
            dual-party relay service, through which the deaf can  
            communicate with others. An estimated 400,000 to 450,000  
            people currently use equipment provided under the DDTP.  
            Between July and December 2004, the DDTP connected 2.6 million  
            calls through the California Rely Service.

            Current law authorizes the PUC, until January 1, 2006, to fund  
            the DDTP through a ratepayer surcharge of up to 0.5% on all  
            intrastate telephone service. The surcharge is currently set  
            at 0.3%. This bill extends the PUC's authority to collect the  
            funds necessary to administer the DDTP program until January  
            1, 2010. 








                                                                  SB 210
                                                                  Page  2


           2)Related Legislation  . AB 1735 (Assembly Utilities and Commerce  
            Committee), which is identical to this bill, passed off this  
            committee's Suspense file and is pending in the Senate.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081