A California bill proposing to modernize the state’s...
A California bill proposing to modernize the state’s LifeLine program runs counter to how such modernization should be done, said the staff of the California Public Utilities Commission in a memo (http://bit.ly/11KWc4o) that recommended the CPUC oppose the bill. Assembly…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
Bill 1407 proposed allowing wireless and non-traditional voice service providers “to voluntarily offer state LifeLine service, if they offer ‘voice telephony service’ as defined by the FCC and collect lifeline surcharges,” including interconnected VoIP, as the memo said, among other modernization facets. But the CPUC is already in the midst of a rulemaking on modernizing the California LifeLine program, which is “a better vehicle for consideration of major changes to the LifeLine program,” staff said. The commission is in the middle of several workshops examining the program’s issues. The memo highlighted the regulators’ intimate knowledge and expertise, the forum they provide stakeholders and the virtues of the CPUC process. “Unlike AB 1407, the CPUC process will include a thorough review of the program, including consideration of the comments of all stakeholders, thus leading to reasoned and sound revisions to the program that ensure that consumers have access to high quality voice services,” the memo said. It outlined the different ways the bill would affect and sometimes hurt the program and the ability of the regulators to move forward as well as the program’s “viability and long-term sustainability” and encourage “waste, fraud and abuse.” The bill was introduced in March and unanimously passed the California Assembly in May. It is scheduled to be heard before the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee July 2, the memo added. The CPUC will address this staff recommendation at its meeting Thursday.