BILL NUMBER: AB 818	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Knox

                        FEBRUARY 24, 1999

   An act to add Section 7934 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to telecommunications.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 818, as introduced, Knox.  New area codes.
   Existing federal law provides for a coordinator for California
area code relief.  Existing law establishes a process for that
coordinator and providers, as defined, to develop an area code relief
plan, as prescribed. Existing federal regulations prohibit an area
code from being assigned based solely on the provision of a specific
type of telecommunications service or use of a particular technology.

   This bill would require the Public Utilities Commission to
preserve existing area codes for land-based telecommunications, to
ensure that retired telephone numbers within a given area code are
reestablished as usable numbers before new area codes are established
within a region, and to apply for a waiver of the existing federal
regulations described above, so that the commission may consider the
application of separate area codes for land-based telecommunication
services and non-land-based telecommunication services.  The bill
would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2001, to submit
to the Legislature a report on the implementation of those
provisions.
   The bill would prohibit the commission from establishing or
implementing any new area code until the commission either begins, as
new area codes become necessary, to apply separate new area codes
for land-based telecommunication telecommunication services and
non-land-based telecommunications services such as cellular telephone
and pager services, if the commission receives a waiver of those
existing federal regulations from the Federal Communications
Commission, or the commission proposes, and the Legislature approves,
a plan, alternative to the use of technology-based area codes, as
specified, to alleviate the undue hardship currently experienced by
telecommunications customers caused by the creation of new area
codes.
   The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations.

   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  no.


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


  SECTION 1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the
Consumer Area Code Relief Act of 1999.
  SEC. 2.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
   (a) The number of area codes in this state has more than doubled
since 1991.
   (b) The proliferation of area codes has caused undue hardship on
citizens of this state, who have begun to be forced into new area
codes after years of having the same telephone number.
   (c) That proliferation has substantially increased costs to
businesses, individuals, and government agencies.
   (d) New area codes require the replacement of business cards and
letterhead stationery, and companies must use employee time
contacting their customers to ensure that those customers are able to
continue to reach the affected company.
   (e) The proliferation of area codes has also reduced worker
productivity as employees begin using new and unfamiliar area codes.

   (f) For all of the reasons stated above, it is necessary for the
Public Utilities Commission to stop area code proliferation and
review their existing practice of establishing new area code regions
and the creation of area code overlays.
  SEC. 3.  Section 7934 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   7934.  (a) The commission shall do all of the following:
   (1) Preserve existing area codes for land-based telecommunications
whenever possible, for as long as possible.
   (2) Ensure that any and all retired telephone numbers within a
given area code are reestablished as usable numbers before new area
codes are established within a region.
   (3) Apply for a waiver of existing regulations adopted by the
Federal Communications Commission that prohibit an area code from
being assigned based solely on the provision of a specific type of
telecommunications service or the use of a particular technology (47
C.F.R. 52.19(c)(3)(1)), so that the commission may consider the
application of separate area codes for land-based telecommunication
services and non-land-based telecommunication services such as
cellular telephone and pager services.
   (4) On or before January 1, 2001, submit to the Legislature a
report on the progress of the commission in the implementation of
this subdivision.
   (b) The commission shall not establish or implement any new area
code until one of the following events occurs:
   (1) If, after the commission receives a waiver from the Federal
Communications Commission as described in paragraph (3) of
subdivision (a), the commission begins, as new area codes become
necessary, to apply separate new area codes for land-based
telecommunication services and non-land-based services such as
cellular telephone and pager services.
   (2) The commission proposes, and the Legislature approves, a plan,
alternative to the use of technology-based area codes, as described
in paragraph (1), to alleviate the undue hardship currently
experienced by telecommunications customers as a result of the
creation of new area codes.