SB 1191: Communications: universal service programs.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to supervise and regulate every public utility in the state, including telephone corporations, and to fix just and reasonable rates and charges for public utilities. Existing law establishes the state’s 6 universal service funds in the State Treasury, including the California High-Cost Fund-A Administrative Committee Fund (CHCF-A) and the California High-Cost Fund-B Administrative Committee Fund (CHCF-B), and provides that moneys in each of the state’s universal service funds are the proceeds of rates and are held in trust for the benefit of ratepayers and to compensate telephone corporations for their costs of providing universal service. Moneys in the funds may only be expended to accomplish specified telecommunications universal service programs, upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act or upon supplemental appropriation. Existing law, the CHCF-A program, until January 1, 2028, requires the commission to develop, implement, and maintain a suitable program to establish a fair and equitable local rate structure aided by universal service rate support to small independent telephone corporations that serve rural areas and are subject to rate-of-return regulation by the commission. Existing law, the CHCF-B program, until January 1, 2028, requires the commission to develop, implement, and maintain a suitable, competitively neutral, and broad-based program to establish a fair and equitable local rate support structure aided by universal service rate support to telephone corporations serving areas where the cost of providing services exceeds rates charged by providers, as determined by the commission.

This bill would extend the CHCF-A program and CHCF-B program requirements to January 1, 2033.

Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.

Because the CHCF-A program and CHCF-B program, which would be extended under the provisions of this bill, are part of the act, and a violation of a commission action implementing the programs’ requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2 · Republican 9

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 27, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 683, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 27, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 28, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. August 24, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 20, 2026In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
6. August 20, 2026Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 6302.) Ordered to the Senate.
7. August 13, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 13, 2026From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (August 13).
9. August 13, 2026Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
10. August 5, 2026August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
11. July 2, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
12. June 8, 2026From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on C. & C.