SB 142: Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program.

Official summary

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

Existing law establishes the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program and requires the Public Utilities Commission to administer a surcharge to collect revenues of up to $100,000,000 per year until January 1, 2025, subject to an annual appropriation of moneys by the Legislature, to allow providers of equipment and service pursuant to the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program to recover their costs as they are incurred. Existing law establishes the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative Committee Fund for the program described above.

This bill would extend the requirement on the commission to collect the surcharge described above until December 31, 2034, subject to annual appropriation of moneys by the Legislature, and would require the commission to transfer moneys it collects from the surcharge to the Controller for deposit into the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative Committee Fund.

Existing law requires the commission to annually review the surcharge level and the balances in the fund identified above. Existing law authorized, until January 1, 2025, the commission to make necessary adjustments to the surcharge to ensure that the programs supported by the surcharge are adequately funded and that the fund balances are not excessive, as defined.

This bill would repeal that requirement and, instead, would authorize the commission to make recommendations to the Legislature regarding appropriations under the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program.

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

Because a violation of a commission action implementing this bill’s requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Sponsors

“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. June 27, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 19, Statutes of 2025.
2. June 27, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. June 27, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
4. June 27, 2025Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 1816.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. June 27, 2025Urgency clause adopted.
6. June 27, 2025In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
7. June 27, 2025Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 55. Noes 19. Page 2316.)
8. June 27, 2025Ordered to third reading.
9. June 27, 2025Withdrawn from committee pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
10. June 27, 2025Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 72. Noes 1. Page 2326.) Ordered to the Senate.
11. June 24, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET.
12. March 24, 2025Referred to Com. on BUDGET.