An act to amend Section 53112 of the Government Code, and to amend Section 2881 of, and to repeal Section 278.5 of, the Public Utilities Code, relating to telecommunications, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.
Summary
SB 129 extends the sunset date for the surcharge funding the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program to January 1, 2024.
Status
Re-referred to Committee on APPR
Our Position: Support
The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program is a key component of California’s overall efforts to achieve functionally equivalent access to telecommunications for people with disabilities. This Program is vitally important as we move into the digital age where traditional telecommunications providers are abandoning their landline networks and moving completely to internet-based networks. Internet-based networks, and equipment which uses those networks, often leave people behind who have specific accessibility needs or who, for various reasons, do not have access to the internet-based services.