BILL NUMBER: SB 1055INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Hueso FEBRUARY 16, 2016 An act to amend Section 270 of, and to repeal Section 279 of, the Public Utilities Code, relating to telecommunications. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1055, as introduced, Hueso. Payphone Service Providers Committee. Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. Existing law establishes the Payphone Service Providers Committee to advise the commission regarding the development, implementation, and administration of programs to educate payphone service providers, ensure compliance with the commission's requirements for payphone operations, and educate consumers on matters related to payphones, as provided for in a specified decision of the commission. Existing law establishes the Payphone Service Providers Committee Fund and requires that all revenues collected by telephone corporations in rates authorized by the commission to fund programs to educate payphone service providers, ensure compliance with the commission's requirements for payphone operations, and educate consumers on matters related to payphones be deposited into the fund. This bill would repeal those provisions establishing the committee and the fund. 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. Section 270 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read: 270. (a) The following funds are hereby created in the State Treasury: (1) The California High-Cost Fund-A Administrative Committee Fund. (2) The California High-Cost Fund-B Administrative Committee Fund. (3) The Universal Lifeline Telephone Service Trust Administrative Committee Fund. (4) The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative Committee Fund.(5) The Payphone Service Providers Committee Fund.(6)(5) The California Teleconnect Fund Administrative Committee Fund.(7)(6) The California Advanced Services Fund. (b) Moneys in the funds are held in trust and may only be expended pursuant to this chapter and upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act or upon supplemental appropriation. (c) The commission, in administering the universal service program funds listed in subdivision (a), and in administering state participation in federal universal service programs, is encouraged, consistent with the state's universal service policies and goals, to maximize the amount of federal funding to California participants in the federal programs. (d) Moneys in each fund shall not be appropriated, or in any other manner transferred or otherwise diverted, to any other fund or entity, except as provided in Sections 19325 and 19325.1 of the Education Code. SEC. 2. Section 279 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.279. (a) There is hereby created the Payphone Service Providers Committee, which is an advisory board to advise the commission regarding the development, implementation, and administration of programs to educate pay phone service providers, ensure compliance with the commission's requirements for pay phone operations, and educate consumers on matters related to pay phones, as provided for in commission Decision 90-06-018. (b) All revenues collected by telephone corporations in rates authorized by the commission to fund the programs specified in subdivision (a) shall be submitted to the commission pursuant to a schedule established by the commission. Commencing on October 1, 2001, and continuing thereafter, the commission shall transfer the moneys received, and all unexpended revenues collected prior to October 1, 2001, to the Controller for deposit in the Payphone Service Providers Committee Fund. All interest earned by moneys in the fund shall be deposited in the fund. (c) Moneys appropriated from the Payphone Service Providers Committee Fund to the commission shall be utilized exclusively by the commission for the program specified in subdivision (a), including all costs of the board and the commission associated with the administration and oversight of the program and the fund.