BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 669|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 669
Author: Polanco (D)
Amended: 8/30/99
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, U. & C. COMMITTEE : 8-1, 4/13/99
AYES: Bowen, Baca, Brulte, Hughes, Kelley, Peace, Solis,
Speier
NOES: Mountjoy
NOT VOTING: Alarcon, Vasconcellos
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SENATE FLOOR : 37-1, 5/24/99
AYES: Alarcon, Alpert, Baca, Bowen, Brulte, Burton,
Chesbro, Costa, Dunn, Escutia, Hayden, Hughes,
Johannessen, Johnson, Johnston, Karnette, Kelley, Knight,
Leslie, Lewis, McPherson, Monteith, Morrow, Murray,
O'Connell, Ortiz, Peace, Perata, Polanco, Poochigian,
Rainey, Schiff, Sher, Solis, Speier, Vasconcellos, Wright
NOES: Mountjoy
NOT VOTING: Figueroa, Haynes
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 75-1, 9/3/99 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Local emergency telephone systems; Public
Utilities
Commission
SOURCE : League of California Cities
CONTINUED
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DIGEST : This bill (1) adds a representative from a city
and a county to the list of entities with which the State
Department of General Services must consult when
considering the state's 911 program, and (2) codifies the
advisory boards for six telecommunications programs
administered by the Public Utilities Commission.
Assembly Amendments add the provisions which codify the
advisory boards for the telecommunications programs.
ANALYSIS : Current law establishes a 911 program, managed
by the State Department of General Services (DGS), to
expedite public safety response to citizen emergencies. As
one of its responsibilities, DGS is required to regularly
consult with a number of state and private entities,
including the State Fire Marshall, the State Department of
Health Services, the Governor's Office of Traffic Safety,
the Office of Emergency Services, the public utilities of
the state, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
This bill adds a representative from a city and a county to
this list of consultees.
Existing law provides for various programs relating to
telephone corporations to be administered by the Public
Utilities Commission (PUC), and paid for in the utility
rates authorized by the PUC. These programs include
low-income ratepayer assistance, energy efficiency, and
telephone service for deaf and disabled individuals.
This bill:
1.Creates six advisory boards to advise the PUC regarding
the implementation, development, and administration of
specified programs:
A. The California High-Cost Fund-A Administrative
Committee and Fund, designed to keep rates for rural
telephone companies low.
B. The California High-Cost Fund-B Administrative
Committee and Fund, designed to keep rates for rural
customers low.
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C. The Universal Lifeline Telephone Service Trust
Administrative Committee and Fund, designed to
provide low-cost telephone service to low-income
households.
D. The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program
Administrative Committee and Fund, designed to
provide discounted telephone service and equipment to
the deaf and disabled.
E. The Payphone Service Providers Committee and Fund,
designed to provide consumer protection to pay
telephone customers.
F. The California Teleconnect Fund Administrative
Committee and Fund, designed to fund advanced
communications services for schools, libraries, and
community organizations.
2.Requires the PUC to determine the number and
qualifications of the members of each advisory board, and
prescribes certain matters or organization and procedure
for each advisory board.
3.Requires each board to submit an annual budget to the PUC
for approval and report describing the activities of the
board.
4.Creates a fund in the State Treasury for each advisory
board.
5.Requires the PUC, on or before July 1, 2000, to report to
the Governor and the Legislature regarding a transition
plan designed to protect the efficiency and effectiveness
of programs associated with those funds.
6.Specifies that all revenues collected by telephone
corporations to fund these programs shall be submitted to
the PUC pursuant to a schedule established by the PUC.
These moneys will be transferred to the State Controller
for deposit in the appropriate fund.
7.Requires the PUC to conduct financial audits of the
revenues for each of the funds, and to conduct compliance
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audits of each program.
Comments
Calls to 911 are answered either by the CHP or by local
public safety agencies, and responded to by local
government agencies (e.g. police or sheriff departments).
Since local governments play a critical role in maintaining
an efficient and effective 911 program, it arguably makes
sense to give local governments a seat at the table when
911 issues are discussed.
This bill codifies the advisory boards for each of six
programs relating to telephone corporations and creates
special accounts in the state treasury to hold the program
funds in trust. The State Department of Finance and the
Attorney General's Office have informally expressed their
preference that the funding for these programs be kept with
the state and that the advisory boards be codified. The
six telecommunications advisory boards created by this bill
advise the PUC regarding the implementation, development,
and administration of thee programs, and carry out the
programs subject to the PUC's direction, control and
approval.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
The PUC estimates special fund costs of about $200,000 in
1999-2000 and $400,000 annually thereafter to administer
the programs.
SUPPORT : (Unable to reverify at time of writing)
League of California Cities (source)
California State Sheriff's Association
California Public Utilities Commission
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : This bill is sponsored by the
League of California Cities, which argues that since cities
are participants in the 911 system statewide, it is
appropriate to include them in DGS's consultation
requirements. The author intends that a representative
from a city and a representative from a county be
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consulted.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Ackerman, Aroner, Ashburn, Baldwin, Bates, Battin,
Baugh, Bock, Brewer, Briggs, Calderon, Campbell,
Cardenas, Cardoza, Cedillo, Corbett, Correa, Cox,
Cunneen, Davis, Dickerson, Ducheny, Dutra, Firebaugh,
Florez, Floyd, Frusetta, Gallegos, Granlund, Havice,
Hertzberg, Honda, House, Jackson, Keeley, Knox, Kuehl,
Leach, Lempert, Leonard, Longville, Lowenthal, Machado,
Maddox, Maldonado, Margett, Mazzoni, Migden, Nakano,
Olberg, Oller, Robert Pacheco, Rod Pacheco, Papan,
Pescetti, Reyes, Romero, Runner, Scott, Shelley, Soto,
Steinberg, Strickland, Strom-Martin, Thompson, Thomson,
Torlakson, Vincent, Washington, Wayne, Wesson, Wiggins,
Wildman, Zettel, Villaraigosa
NOES: McClintock
NOT VOTING: Aanestad, Alquist, Kaloogian, Wright
NC:cm 9/5/99 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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