GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THANK
YOU FOR ATTENDING AND TUNING IN
TO THE COMMITTEE ON
COMMUNICATION AND CONVEYANCES
BILL HEARING TODAY. MY NAME IS
TASHA BERNER. AS I SERVE AS THE
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. CHAIR OF
THE COMMITTEE. JOINING ME ON THE
DAIS TODAY ARE VICE Þ VICE
CHAIR. PATTERSON ISN'T HERE, BUT
ASSEMBLY MEMBER LORI DAVIES IS
HERE, SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE
YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING ON
TIME, WE'RE BEING JOINED ALSO BY
EMILIO PEREZ, THE CHIEF
CONSULTANT. THE COMMUNICATIONS
COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS ELIZABETH
DELGADO. THE COMMITTEE
SECRETARY. AND JOINING US FOR
THIS HEARING IS DANIEL BALIN,
CONSULTANT WITH THE REPUBLICAN
CAUCUS POLICY UNIT. TODAY WE
HAVE THREE AGENDA ITEMS, AND
THERE ARE NO PROPOSED ITEMS ON
CONSENT BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR BILL
PRESENTATION, I LIKE TO TAKE
CARE OF SOME LOGISTICAL
HOUSEKEEPING. IF ANY MEMBER OF
THE PUBLIC IN THIS ROOM WOULD
LIKE TO TESTIFY ON A BILL DURING
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, I WILL
INVITE YOU TO APPROACH THE
MICROPHONE AT THE APPROPRIATE
TIME. I'D ASK THE PUBLIC NOT TO
TOUCH THE MICROPHONE. YOU CAN
EXIT THE HEARING ROOM ONCE
YOU'RE DONE TESTIFYING OR RETURN
TO YOUR SEAT. NOW LET'S COVER
THE GROUND RULES FOR APPROPRIATE
CONDUCT. THE ASSEMBLY HAS
EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF
DISRUPTIONS TO COMMITTEE AND
FLOOR PROCEEDINGS IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS. CONDUCT THAT
DISRUPTS, DISTURBS, OR OTHERWISE
IMPEDES THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF
THIS HEARING IS PROHIBITED. SUCH
CONDUCT MAY INCLUDE TAKING OR
TALKING OR MAKING LOUD NOISES
FROM THE AUDIENCE, UTTERING
LOUD, THREATENING AND ABUSIVE
LANGUAGE, SPEAKING LONGER THAN
THE TIME ALLOTTED. EXTENDED
DISCUSSIONS OF MATTERS NOT
RELATED TO THE SUBJECT OF THE
HEARING OR THE BILL, AND ANY
OTHER DISRUPTIVE ACTS TO ADDRESS
ANY DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT. I WILL
TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS. IF ANY
INDIVIDUAL DISRUPTS THE OUR
HEARING PROCESS, I WILL DIRECT
THEM TO STOP AND WARN THEM. THAT
CONTINUED DISRUPTIONS MAY RESULT
IN REMOVAL FROM THE CAPITAL
BUILDING. I WILL ALSO DOCUMENT
ON THE RECORD THE INDIVIDUAL
INVOLVED AND THE NATURE OF THE
DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT. I MAY
TEMPORARILY RECESS THE HEARING
IF THE CONDUCT DOES NOT STOP. I
WILL REQUEST THE ASSISTANCE OF
THE SERGEANTS IN ESCORTING THE
INDIVIDUAL FROM THE CAPITOL
BUILDING. OKAY SO THIS AFTERNOON
WE HAVE THREE ITEMS TO BE HEARD,
NOTICING THE ABSENCE OF A
QUORUM, WE WILL OPERATE AS A
SUBCOMMITTEE AND WILL PROCEED TO
. ITEM ONE, SB 424 BY SENATOR
RUSSO. THE GET CONNECTED
CALIFORNIA ACT OF 2024. SENATOR
OSO, YOU MAY OPEN. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, AND TO
START, HOW MUCH I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT
THAT YOU YOURSELF PUT INTO THIS.
AND YOUR STAFF HAVE WORKED VERY,
VERY, VERY HARD TO GET WHERE
WE'RE AT TODAY, SO BECAUSE OF
THAT, I ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS OUTLINED ON PAGES SIX
AND SEVEN OF THE ANALYSIS, SB
424 IS URGENTLY NEEDED. WE HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONNECT LOW
PAID HOUSEHOLDS TO HIGH SPEED
QUALITY INTERNET. IT'S OUR
RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE END OF
THE FEDERAL AFFORDABLE
CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM, CALIFORNIA
MUST TAKE ACTION TO REACH THE
POOREST HOUSEHOLDS WITH ACCESS
TO THIS BASIC NECESSITY AND TO
GUARANTEE THAT THERE ALWAYS WILL
BE AFFORDABLE, HIGH SPEED
QUALITY INTERNET SERVICE. OVER
5.8 MILLION LOW INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS IN CALIFORNIA NEED
AFFORDABLE INTERNET TO IMPROVE
THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY, FOR EDUCATION, FOR
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. WE LED
THE NATION IN ENROLLING NEARLY 3
MILLION HOUSEHOLDS IN THE ACP
PROGRAM. STILL MORE THAN 2.8
MILLION ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS
REMAINED UNENROLLED WHEN THE
PROGRAM ENDED, WITH MANY UNAWARE
OF ITS EXISTENCE. WE MUST
CONTINUE OUR COMMITMENT TO
PROMOTE AWARENESS IN
CALIFORNIA'S POOREST COMMUNITIES
AND NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT
LIMITED ACCESS TO INTERNET MEANS
A LIMITED ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
EVEN NOW, MANY ELIGIBLE
HOUSEHOLDS DO NOT KNOW THAT THEY
HAVE THE OPTIONS THEY CAN AFFORD
AND ARE OFTEN SOLD MORE
EXPENSIVE PLANS WHEN THEY SEEK
OUT CONNECTIVITY. RIGHT NOW,
CALIFORNIA IS INVESTING $10
BILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE
DEPLOYMENT AT THE SAME TIME, WE
CONTINUE TO HAVE THE HIGHEST
SUPPLEMENTAL POVERTY RATE OF ALL
50 STATES. WE MUST HAVE
STANDARDS FOR THE CORPORATIONS
RECEIVING OUR VALUABLE TAXPAYER
DOLLARS AT A MINIMUM, THESE ISPS
SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HELP GET
ALL LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
ONLINE. THE DIGITAL DIVIDE WAS
AMONG THE MOST GLARING SOCIAL
INEQUITIES LAID BARE BY THE
PANDEMIC. ALMOST A QUARTER OF
CALIFORNIA'S HOUSEHOLDS DO NOT
HAVE ACCESS TO EITHER COMPUTER
OR HIGH SPEED INTERNET. THIS IS
SHAMEFUL. WE MUST CONTINUE OUR
COMMITMENT TO THESE FAMILIES,
AND NEVER AGAIN SHOULD STUDENTS
HAVE TO SIT ON A CURB IN FRONT
OF TACO BELL TO GET THEIR
SCHOOLWORK DONE. WE KNOW WHAT
WORKS TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED.
SB 424 IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF
THIS COMMITMENT. WITH ME, MADAM
CHAIR, IS LETICIA ALEJANDRO FROM
CALIFORNIA EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
FUND AND SENATOR RICHARD
POLANCO. THANK YOU. EACH HAVE
TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO
WILL SOON ARRIVE, I'M HERE TODAY
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY FUND. I HAVE
WORKED TIRELESSLY MY ENTIRE LIFE
TO ORGANIZE COMMUNITIES TO SEEK
JUSTICE AND ECONOMY. AND IN OUR
DEMOCRACY, MANY OF US HAVE
WORKED TOGETHER IN THE TRENCHES
TO GIVE VOICE TO THE MOST
DISADVANTAGED. I REPRESENT THE
CALIFORNIA EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
FUND, THE SPONSOR OF THE BILL.
THANK YOU, SENATOR DURAZO, FOR
YOUR COURAGE, FOR YOUR
COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP AND THE
NEED TO LIFT ALL CALIFORNIANS,
ESPECIALLY THE MOST DIGITALLY
DISADVANTAGED. WE COMMEND
CHAIRWOMAN BERNER FOR HER
AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU. THESE
AMENDMENTS WILL REQUIRE ISPS
THAT RECEIVE INFRASTRUCTURE
GRANTS AFTER JANUARY 1ST OF 2026
TO OFFER ALL CUSTOMERS A LOWER
COST INTERNET SERVICE
SUBSCRIPTION. THIS OFFER WILL
BENEFIT ALL CALIFORNIANS,
HOWEVER, THERE'S STILL SOME
UNFINISHED BUSINESS. THIS
LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR WILL
HAVE TO ADDRESS. TWO VERY
IMPORTANT PRIORITY ISSUES.
FIRST, ALL CUSTOMERS WILL HAVE
TO BE INFORMED BY THE ISPS ABOUT
THE AVAILABILITY OF THE LOWER
COST OFFERS. POSTING THE
INFORMATION ON THE ISP WEBSITE
IS NOT ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY FOR
THE HOUSEHOLDS WHO CANNOT ACCESS
THE INTERNET. SECOND, THERE MUST
BE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
RESULTS. THE ISPS AND GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES MUST REPORT ON THE
IMPACT TO THIS LEGISLATURE AND
TO THE PUBLIC. CALIFORNIA
TAXPAYERS HAVE COMMITTED 10
BILLION TO BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE AND NOW WE NEED
AFFORDABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
. SEE, CETF HAS THE EXPERIENCE
TO MOBILIZE STATEWIDE AND
ACCELERATE PROGRESS. WE ENROLLED
MORE THAN 50% OF THE 5.8 MILLION
ACP ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS. IN
CONTRAST TO THE LIFELINE
PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN IN
EXISTENCE FOR MORE THAN FOUR
DECADES, WHICH HAS ABOUT 1.1
MILLION PARTICIPANTS NOW, IS THE
TIME FOR THIS LEGISLATURE TO
TAKE BOLD STEPS TOWARDS DIGITAL
EQUITY. WE URGE YOUR AYE VOTE
AND THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR
THE AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU AND
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR BERNER AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I'M LETICIA
ALEJANDREZ. I'M WITH THE
CALIFORNIA EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
FUND TODAY. I'M WEARING A
DIFFERENT HAT AND THAT'S OF THE
DIGITAL EQUITY COALITION. THIS
COALITION CONSISTS OF MORE THAN
50 STATEWIDE COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT
UBIQUITOUS DEPLOYMENT AND
UNIVERSAL ADOPTION OF BROADBAND
INTERNET. THANK YOU, SENATOR
DURAZO, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN
ENSURING THAT LOW INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE ACCESS TO
BROADBAND INTERNET. TO PUT THIS
ISSUE IN CONTEXT AGAIN, THERE
ARE 5.8 MILLION LOW INCOME,
DIGITALLY DISADVANTAGED
HOUSEHOLDS IN CALIFORNIA. IN
THIS COMMITTEE ALONE.
COLLECTIVELY, YOU REPRESENT 3.3
MILLION OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS. THE
LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR HAVE
BEEN TRAILBLAZERS IN PURSUING
DIGITAL EQUITY BY AUTHORIZING
SIGNIFICANT FUNDING FOR
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.
HOWEVER INFRASTRUCTURE IS
NECESSARY, BUT NOT SUFFICIENT.
CALIFORNIANS MUST BE ABLE TO
AFFORD HOME INTERNET SERVICE. SB
424 IS THE LAST MAJOR POLICY
PIECE NEEDED TO FULFILL THE
PROMISE OF DIGITAL EQUITY FOR
ALL CALIFORNIANS. TO UNDERSCORE
SENATOR POLANCO'S COMMENTS, WE
MUST ENSURE AWARENESS OF
AFFORDABLE OFFERS TO ELIGIBLE
HOUSEHOLDS, AND WE MUST ENSURE
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IMPACT. AS
CALIFORNIA MAKES A $10 BILLION B
BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND
INITIATIVES, SHOULDN'T ISPS WHO
ARE RECEIVING TAXPAYER OR
RATEPAYER FUNDS BE REQUIRED TO
ASSIST THE STATE IN GETTING ALL
LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS ONLINE, SO
THAT EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE IN
MODERN AND MODERN DAILY LIFE AS
WE KNOW IT? WE ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE FOR SB 424. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO THE PROPONENTS.
WE'LL MOVE TO ANY ADDITIONAL
WITNESSES AND SUPPORT. YOU MAY
APPROACH THE MIC WITH NAME,
AFFILIATION AND POSITION ONLY.
PLEASE. NICOLE MERRILEES, ON
BEHALF OF CHILDREN NOW IN
SUPPORT. GOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON.
ALEJANDRO SOLIS, ON BEHALF OF
LOS AMIGOS DE LA COMUNIDAD IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. AND MARVIN
PINEDA, WE HAVE COOPERATIVA
CAMPESINA IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
OKAY, SO THANK YOU FOR THE
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT. WE'LL MOVE
TO WITNESSES. OPPOSITION. WE
HAVE ONE PRIMARY WITNESS IN
OPPOSITION WHO MAY APPROACH THE
DESK. THAT'S PAM LOOMIS FROM CAL
COMM AND SOMEBODY ELSE. YOU EACH
HAVE TWO MINUTES. GREAT THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS PAM LOOMIS, AND I
REPRESENT THE SMALL, RURAL
TELEPHONE COMPANIES THAT ARE
MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA
COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION. WE
ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT SENATOR
DURAZO AND THE SPONSORS. INTENT
TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE BROADBAND
FOR ALL. IT'S AN IMPORTANT GOAL.
UNFORTUNATELY, SB 424 WILL NOT
HELP. AND THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS WILL NOT HELP AS
WELL, AS YOU KNOW, MY CLIENTS
HAVE BEEN SERVING THE MOST
RUGGED, SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS
OF THE STATE SINCE THE EARLY
1900S. WE'VE GOT REAL WORLD
EXPERIENCE ON HOW MUCH IT COST
TO PROVIDE BROADBAND SERVICE IN
THESE AREAS. BROADBAND SERVICE
IS NOT A BUILD IT AND LEAVE IT
PROPOSITION, IN REMOTE AREAS OF
CALIFORNIA THAT ARE STILL
UNSERVED. THE NETWORKS ARE
SUBJECT TO WILDFIRES,
SNOWSTORMS, POWER SHUTOFFS
DURING HIGH WIND EVENTS THAT
LAST FOR DAYS, AND 72 HOUR
BACKUP POWER REQUIREMENTS, NOT
TO MENTION ALL THE REGULAR, YOU
KNOW, CUSTOMER SERVICE
ADVERTISING. YOU KNOW, THOSE
KINDS OF EXPENSES. SERVING RURAL
AREAS IS AN EXPENSIVE
PROPOSITION, COMPOUNDED BY THE
FACT THAT THERE AREN'T A LOT OF
PEOPLE THERE TO SPREAD THE
COSTS, THE GRANT PROGRAMS IN
THIS BILL ARE ONLY FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF BUILDING
NETWORKS TO UNSERVED AREAS. THEY
DON'T COVER ONGOING OPERATION
AND MAINTENANCE, EXPENSES
REQUIRING GRANTEES TO OFFER A
HIGH SPEED PLAN AT A PRICE POINT
THAT IS NOT BASED ON ANY
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE ACTUAL
COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE,
IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. FOR
GRANTEES THAT ARE NOT NATIONWIDE
ENTITIES, THEY DO NOT HAVE A
LARGE ENOUGH CUSTOMER BASE TO
SPREAD THE FINANCIAL LOSSES. NO
ENTERPRISE CAN OPERATE AT A LOSS
FOR VERY LONG. WHAT'S THE POINT
IN USING PUBLIC FUNDS TO BUILD
LAST MILE INFRASTRUCTURE IF THE
GRANTEES CAN'T STAY SOLVENT LONG
ENOUGH TO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR
MORE THAN A FEW YEARS? THIS IDEA
OF REQUIRING A LOW COST PLAN IS
UNTESTED. THE FEDERAL FUNDING
ACCOUNT IS THE FIRST GRANT
PROGRAM THAT THE PUC INTRODUCED
THE IDEA, AND THESE GRANTS ARE
JUST STARTING TO BE AWARDED. WE
ARE NOT GOING TO KNOW THE REAL
WORLD IMPACTS OF A $40 OR $30
LOW COST PLAN UNTIL AFTER THESE
PROJECTS HAVE BEEN BUILT AND ARE
OPERATIONAL. SO EVEN THOUGH THE
PUC IS ALREADY INCORPORATED, THE
LOW COST PLAN IDEA INTO THE FFA
AND BID PROGRAMS, IT WOULD BE
BETTER TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT
HAPPENS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS
BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO STATUTE.
THEREFORE, THE MEMBERS OF CAL
COMM RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
NO VOTE. MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS,
STEVE CARLSON FOR CTIA. WE ARE
THE TRADE ASSOCIATION FOR THE
WIRELESS WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
INDUSTRY, WE ALSO APPLAUD,
SENATOR DEROSA'S PASSION ON THIS
AS WELL AS OTHER ISSUES. AND, WE
CERTAINLY AGREE WITH THE INTENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T AGREE
WITH THE POLICY. NOTWITHSTANDING
THE AMENDMENTS, WE BELIEVE THIS
IS.
A FLAWED POLICY THAT WILL
EXACERBATE THE ALREADY GLACIAL
PACE OF THE PUC'S ACTIONS TO GET
THIS MONEY OUT, TO WHERE IT CAN
BE. IT CAN BE USED, THE WIRELESS
INDUSTRY AND OTHER OTHERS OF OUR
TELECOMMUNICATIONS STAKEHOLDER
PARTNERS ALL OFFER LOW COST,
INCOME ELIGIBLE TYPES OF PLANS,
IN FACT, YOU CAN SEE IN FIXED
WIRELESS, SOME COMPANIES ARE
OFFERING $50 A MONTH FOR
WHOLE-HOME WI-FI. THE POINT OF
CÁC IS TO CREATE INFRASTRUCTURE
TO CONDITION THAT ON BELOW
MARKET RATES TO EVERYONE. NOT
JUST, NOT JUST INCOME ELIGIBLE,
IS TANTAMOUNT TO RATE REGULATION
AND IS JUST WILL CREATE A
DISINCENTIVE TO THE COMPANIES
THAT YOU WANT TO INCENT TO DO
THIS WORK, THE CPUC THIS HAS
BEEN A VERY, VERY SLOW PROCESS,
AND I KNOW CTF AND WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THIS FOREVER. BUT
THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE SOLVED BY
SAYING, OKAY, IF WE REQUIRE YOU
TO DO THIS, THEN YOU CAN'T
CHARGE MORE THAN X, AGAIN, THE
ONGOING OPERATIONS ARE NOT
CONSIDERED IN THIS, WE HAVE SEEN
IN OTHER AREAS OF COMMERCE WHERE
RATE REGULATION REALLY HAS THE
OPPOSITE EFFECT OF CREATING, A
BENEFIT, LET'S WORK ON, AMONG
OTHER THINGS, MAYBE A FAIR AND
FAIRLY FUNDED ALTERNATIVE TO THE
ACP. YOU KNOW, WE ALL TALK ABOUT
HOW HOW GREAT IT WAS, AND WE
AGREE IT WAS GREAT, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT SOME OF
THIS $10 BILLION THAT IS BEING
IS BEING USED NOT JUST TO, NOT
ONLY TO CREATE INFRASTRUCTURE,
BUT MAYBE TO LOOK AT SOME
SUBSIDY PLANS THAT ARE MORE,
MORE FOCUSED AND WE THINK WILL
BE ULTIMATELY MORE HELPFUL. AND
WE REALLY BELIEVE, IT WILL BE A
BETTER ALTERNATIVE. FOR WHAT?
THANK YOU. SENATOR DURAZZO WANTS
TO ACCOMPLISH. THANK YOU, WITH
THAT, ANYBODY ELSE? ADDITIONAL
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION. MAY I
APPROACH THE MICROPHONE, NAME,
AFFILIATION ONLY, PLEASE. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MEMBERS. YOLANDA
BENSON, US TELECOM, THE
BROADBAND ASSOCIATION IN
OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL. BUT
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE
ISSUE AS THERE ARE OTHER BILLS
IN THE LEGISLATURE TRYING TO DO
THE SAME THING. THANK YOU.
HELLO, AMANDA VALDERRAMA WITH
CAL BROADBAND ALSO IN OPPOSITION
TO THIS BILL. THANK YOU. OKAY.
BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE,
BEFORE WE OPEN IT TO OTHER
MEMBERS, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS
TO MAKE. I FIRST, I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE THAT THE EXPIRATION OF
THE ACP IS A REAL PROBLEM THAT
IS WORTHY OF OUR ATTENTION AS
LEGISLATORS. WE HAVE 3 MILLION
CALIFORNIAN HOUSEHOLDS THAT
MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD
BROADBAND. AND I THINK ONE OF
THE WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
SAID, WHAT'S THE POINT OF
BUILDING LAST MILE IF THE
COMPANIES CAN'T, CAN'T PAY FOR
IT AT $30 FOR 100 UP, 20 DOWN?
THE OTHER QUESTION IS, WHAT'S
THE POINT OF BUILDING LAST MILE
IF PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY IT
AT ALL? AND SO I THINK WE'RE
GRAPPLING WITH THIS REALLY,
REALLY TOUGH ISSUE. AND WE KEEP
TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO DO IT.
AND THAT WAS I REALLY WANT TO
COMMEND THE AUTHOR FOR WORKING
WITH ME IN THE COMMITTEE ON HOW
DO WE REALLY GET AT THE ROOT OF
THE PROBLEM. AND ONE OF THE
OTHER THINGS I THINK WE REALLY
NEED TO DO TO ADDRESS THE
PROBLEM. I THINK SUBSIDY
PROGRAMS LIKE ACP OR LIFELINE
ARE THE RIGHT APPROACH.
ADDITIONALLY I THINK USING OUR
STATE GRANT PROGRAMS COULD BE
ANOTHER TOOL IN THE TOOLKIT TO
ENCOURAGE AFFORDABILITY. BOTH
FFA AND BEAD HAVE EXISTING
AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS, SO
THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS WE'VE
SUGGESTED WILL ALIGN THE
REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN THE FFA AND
THE IGA. AND ADDITIONALLY, WE
KNOW THAT INCONSISTENCY IN THE
AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS OF
OUR LAST MILE BROADBAND PROGRAMS
IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT
EXISTS WITHIN THESE PROGRAMS.
UNFORTUNATELY THERE HAVE BEEN
DELAYS AFTER DELAYS OR DELAYS.
IF YOU'VE WATCHED ANY CNC
MEETING, I THINK I ALWAYS
MENTIONED THE DELAYS IN THE CPUC
FOR THE FFA GRANTS, AND TO DATE,
THEY HAVE ONLY AWARDED 16
MILLION. THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN
AWARDED OF THE NEARLY 2 BILLION
THAT'S OUT THERE. AND SO WE KNOW
THERE ARE FIBER ONLY APPROACH IS
GOING TO RUN US OUT OF MONEY
SOONER THAN WE CONNECT THE
HOUSEHOLDS THAT NEED IT. AND SO
THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE
APPROACHING, GRAPPLING WITH.
AND, SENATOR RAPOSO WAS SO KIND
AND THOUGHTFUL TO REALLY INCLUDE
IN THIS BILL THE REQUIREMENT
THAT $1 BILLION OF FFA GRANTS BE
PROPOSED. WHAT IS IT? THE
CORRECT WORD? WHAT'S THE WHAT'S
THE CORRECT WORD? THE RESOLUTION
BE A PROPOSED RESOLUTION BY
JANUARY 1ST, 2025, $1 BILLION.
AND TO MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO
MAY BE ON THE FENCE ABOUT THIS
BILL, THOSE TWO PROVISIONS
ALIGNING THE AFFORDABILITY
REQUIREMENTS. SO IT'S VERY CLEAR
TO ALL CALIFORNIANS IN THE
PROJECT AREA WHAT THEY CAN GET.
AND REQUIRING THE CPUC TO AWARD
TO HAVE THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION
FOR $1 BILLION IN THESE FFA
GRANTS IS WHAT THE STATE NEEDS.
AND I WANT TO APPRECIATE THE
BOLD LEADERSHIP OF THE AUTHOR
WHEN WORKING WITH US ON THOSE
TWO THINGS. FOR THOSE REASONS
ALONE, THIS BILL IS WORTH IT. IN
ADDITION, USING IF YOU'RE
GETTING STATE SUBSIDIES IN THE
FORM OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO
SUBSIDIZE THE LAST MILE, WE NEED
TO HAVE AFFORDABILITY. AND THE
EASIEST WAY TO GET AFFORDABILITY
IS TO MAKE EVERYBODY IN THE
SERVICE AREA WHO IS BENEFITING
FROM THE IGA OR THE FFA GRANTS
TO GIVE THEM AN AFFORDABLE PLAN.
SO YOU'RE NOT GOING OUT AND
YOU'RE NOT FILLING OUT PAPERWORK
AND YOU'RE NOT DOING A SUBSIDY.
YES, WE NEED THOSE SUBSIDIES.
THEY DON'T EXIST RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT. AND WE'LL CONTINUE
WORKING ON FIGURING OUT HOW TO
DO THAT. BUT IF EVERYBODY HAS
THIS OPTION AND THEY OPEN IT UP,
AND WHETHER IT'S THE FLIER
THAT'S ON THEIR DOORSTEP OR IT'S
WHAT'S IN THEIR MAILBOX, THEY
HAVE THIS OPTION. THAT'S WHAT
PEOPLE NEED. AND THAT'S THE EASE
OF ACCESSIBILITY. THAT'S THE
CORE BEHIND THIS BILL. SO WITH
THAT, I HAVE A LOT OF OPINIONS
ABOUT THIS BILL, AND I REALLY
APPRECIATED WORKING WITH THE
AUTHOR ON IT AND THE SPONSOR,
AND SO I'LL OPEN IT UP TO OTHER
OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER DAVIES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
TALKING POINTS AS WELL. AND I
THINK THERE ISN'T A PERSON IN
THIS ROOM THAT DOESN'T SUPPORT,
YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE INTERNET
SERVICE AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEY HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
PUBLIC SAFETY, MY QUESTION IS,
WITH THE $30, WHERE DID THAT
NUMBER COME UP FROM MY
UNDERSTANDING OF $30 IS PART OF
THE, FEDERAL AFFORDABILITY,
PROGRAM. SO IT WAS ESTABLISHED
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND IT'S
WHEN WE REFER TO ACP, IT'S THE
AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM.
OF WHICH 5.8 MILLION
CALIFORNIANS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR.
AND SO IT'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM
THAT ESTABLISHED, THAT
PARTICULAR DOLLAR AMOUNT IN
WHICH, WHICH WHICH THE ISP CEO,
UPON THE SIGNING, AGREED. AND
THEN DID THEY DO A STUDY TO MAKE
SURE THAT THAT'S ECONOMICALLY
OBTAINABLE? IS THAT $30
ACTUALLY, PER HOUSEHOLD GOING TO
BE ABLE TO ARE THEY GOING TO BE
ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO?
I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN THING IS
WORKING TOGETHER. AND WE'RE
LOOKING AT WHERE THE FUNDING IS.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN GET THAT
LAST MILE. AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT RURAL
AREAS, IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A
HANDFUL OF HOMES THAT ARE TAKING
OVER A HUGE AREA. AND IN ORDER
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES
IN THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE MORE
PEOPLE TO BE, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED
MORE MONEY TO CHARGE OR YOU NEED
MORE PEOPLE TO FILL THAT COST
IN. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IS
THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE'S NO
THERE'S NO STICK. WE NEED A
CARROT. AND AS YOU WERE TALKING,
WE NEED A SET OF REASONS WHY
COMPANIES ARE GOING TO WANT TO
SAY, LIKE, LISTEN, YOU KNOW
WHAT? WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK. WE
WANT TO BE THERE. WE WANT TO BE
ABLE TO HELP. BUT I JUST FEEL
LIKE WE ALL HAVE THE SAME GOAL.
BUT WE'VE WATCHED BUSINESSES
WHERE THEY'VE BEEN BASICALLY,
YOU KNOW, TOLD TO BASICALLY THIS
IS HOW MUCH YOU HAVE TO PAY PER
HOUR OR THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO
DO. AND ECONOMICALLY IT DOESN'T
WORK AND THEY END UP EITHER
SHUTTING THEIR BUSINESS DOWN OR
NOT OFFERING IT OR BASICALLY
FIRING, LETTING EMPLOYEES GO
BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE
MONEY FOR THAT SERVICE EITHER.
IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THE
EMPLOYEES. SO I JUST I REALLY
WANT TO SEE THIS COME TO THE
TABLE HERE TOGETHER BECAUSE I
THINK IT'S FANTASTIC. AND ALSO
THAT $30 IS THAT FOR WHOEVER
LIVES IN THAT RURAL AREA, IT
SOUNDS LIKE IT IS, NO MATTER
WHAT THEIR INCOME IS. SO THEY
COULD BE THEY COULD BE HAVING A
MEDIUM OR A HIGH INCOME UP THERE
AND STILL BE GIVING THE $30.
YES. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY,
EVERY PROGRAM THAT IS IN THE
STATE, SUBSIDIES, IF YOU LOOK AT
PAGE FOUR OF THE ANALYSIS, THE
IGA, DOES NOT REQUIRE A LOW COST
OF AFFORDABLE PLAN, BUT IT'S
PRICE FIXED AT 15 WITH SPEED,
NOT, SPECIFIED. IT HAS TO BE LOW
INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, FFA DOES
REQUIRE AFFORDABLE, LOW COST
PLAN AT $40 FOR 50 UP 20 DOWN.
AND IT'S ALL HOUSEHOLDS IN THE
PROJECT AREA BID, WHICH IS WHAT
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SETS. IT
DOES REQUIRE IT. IT'S $30 AT 100
UP, 20 DOWN. ALL HOUSEHOLDS IN
THE PROJECT AREA. THESE ARE WHAT
THIS BILL IS DOING IS TRYING TO
ALIGN THEM ACROSS THE THING. SO
FOR AND IT'S ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE
GETTING THE STATE SUBSIDY, THE
FEDERAL SUBSIDY, THEY'RE ONLY
THIS IS NOT THEY GO INTO A
PRIVATE MARKET. THEY HAVEN'T
GOTTEN AN IGA OR AN FFA GRANT
AND THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THIS.
THIS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE SAYING IF YOU GET A STATE
SUBSIDY, YOU HAVE TO A PUBLIC
SUBSIDY, YOU HAVE A PUBLIC
BENEFIT, AND WE'RE SETTING IT AT
THIS PUBLIC BENEFIT. AND IT'S
JUST IN THE SERVICE AREA. WELL,
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE
THIS MOVE FORWARD RIGHT NOW, I
CAN'T SUPPORT IT, BUT I REALLY
WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS WORK
TOGETHER SO THAT IT CAN BE
ECONOMICALLY OBTAINABLE FOR THEM
TO ACTUALLY BE THERE, MAKE SURE
THAT THEY'RE GIVING 100% TO
THOSE, TO THE RESIDENTS THERE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
SAFETY AND HAVING, YOU KNOW,
EDUCATIONAL REASONS. BUT, BUT
RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE TO
HOLD OFF. THANK YOU, I
APPRECIATE IT. I JUST WANT TO
ADD, IF I CAN, ONE ONE MORE
THING, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST 2
OR 3 YEARS, WE HAVE SET ASIDE
AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT BY
INVESTING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO EVERY
SINGLE.
COMMUNITY BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC, IF YOU REMEMBER, IT
WAS NOT IT WAS NOT A BIG DEAL. I
MEAN, IT WASN'T A BIG DEAL
BECAUSE MOST OF US, YOU KNOW,
FELT LIKE WE HAD IT OR IT WAS A
LUXURY OR IT WAS A COOL THING TO
HAVE. BUT FROM THE PANDEMIC, WE
LEARNED THE ABSOLUTE URGENCY THE
DAY TO DAY. YOU CAN'T GO TO
SCHOOL WITHOUT INTERNET. YOU
CAN'T. THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN
DO. IN FACT, NOW THE COURTS ARE
SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO
HAVE INTERNET EVERYWHERE YOU GO
IN LIFE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT. WE
WERE PROMISED. TAXPAYERS WERE
PROMISED THAT IF WE INVESTED
BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE,
EVERY COMMUNITY WAS GOING TO
GET, CONNECTIVITY WAS GOING TO
GET CONNECTED. THAT'S WHAT WAS
PROMISED TO US. THAT'S NOT BEING
DONE. WE HAVE TO TAKE A STEP
FURTHER. SO I AGREE WITH YOU. IF
WE COULD DO IT ANY WAY, AS LONG
AS WE GOT IT TO EVERYBODY. BUT
WE HAVE INVESTED TAXPAYER
DOLLARS IN THE BILLIONS AND WE
HAVE NOT REACHED TO THOSE
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
SO AND YOU'RE COMPLETELY RIGHT.
AND WE'RE WE'RE RIGHT ON THE
SAME PAGE HERE. BUT I'D LIKE TO
SEE THOSE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS AND WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT A BILLION GO TO HELP THE
COMPANIES TO ENSURE THAT THEY
CAN DO THIS. I THINK THAT'S
THAT'S A BIG THING. SO WE'RE OUR
GOAL IS THE SAME. I JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE IT'S ACTUALLY
OBTAINABLE. I THINK THAT'S THE
NUMBER ONE. SO I DO APPRECIATE
THAT OKAY. WE HAVE A QUORUM. SO
WHILE WE HAVE IT WE'RE GOING TO
ESTABLISH QUORUM WITH THE
COMMITTEE SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL BURNER I OH PRESIDENT
BURNER, PRESIDENT PATTERSON.
BONTA DAVIES. DAVIES. PRESENT.
GARCIA HOLDEN. HOOVER HOOVER.
PRESENT. MAIENSCHEIN.
MAIENSCHEIN PRESENT. NGUYEN.
NGUYEN. PRESENT RIVAS. THREE OF
US. RODRIGUEZ. RODRIGUEZ
PRESENT. WE HAVE A QUORUM. AND
SO, BUT GOING BACK TO THIS, I
ACTUALLY DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR
THE OPPOSITION, HAS ANY OF THE
SMALL HAVE ANY OF THE SMALL,
RURAL TELCOS APPLIED FOR IGA OR
FFA GRANTS TO DATE, YES. WE WERE
EARLY ADOPTERS ON THE IGA. BUT,
YOU KNOW, QUICKLY FOUND THAT THE
PUC SEQUA PROCESS AND THE COSTS
OF THE PUC SECRET PROCESS CAUSED
A LOT OF DELAY AND A LOT OF
ADDITIONAL EXPENSE, WE DID HAVE
TWO COMPANIES APPLY FOR THE
FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT, BUT THE
$40. SO THE REQUIREMENT FOR A
LOW INCOME BROADBAND PLAN AND
THEN THE TO GET EXTRA CREDIT
OFFERING, THE $40 LOW COST PLAN,
FOR MOST OF THEM WAS COST
PROHIBITIVE. SO IT COSTS US MORE
THAN $30 TO PROVIDE BROADBAND AT
LIKE 25 THREE. SO DOING 120, YOU
KNOW, TAKES A LOT MORE, I GUESS
IF YOU GOT THE GRANT, YOU WOULD
BE DOING 120. SO. BUT IT JUST
IT'S, IT COSTS MORE THAN $30 FOR
US TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS. YEAH.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THIS
BILL IS ALSO NOT RETROACTIVE, SO
IT DOESN'T AFFECT ANY OF THE IGA
OR FFA GRANTS THAT HAVE ALREADY
BEEN SUBMITTED. IT WOULD BE ONLY
FOR GRANTS THAT ARE SUBMITTED
AFTER JANUARY 1ST, 2026. SO WE
DON'T DELAY THE PROCESS ANY
FURTHER. SO THIS WOULD BE
SOMEBODY NOT THIS IS NOT
AFFECTING ANY OF THE BILL, ANY
OF THE GRANTS THAT ARE GOING
THROUGH NOW. IT WOULD BE
PROSPECTIVELY FOR ANY FUTURE
GRANTS. AND WE DID THAT
SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE
BEAD. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK
THIS IS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT, YEAH. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
? RODRIGUEZ. YES, I WANT TO
THANK THE SENATOR FOR BRINGING
THIS BILL, BILL FORWARD. I MEAN,
WE'VE ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE YEAR
AFTER YEAR. HOW DO WE GET THERE
TO KEEP GET ALL CALIFORNIANS
ACCESS TO INTERNET? IT'S A
CHALLENGE. AND A LOT OF MONEY'S
BEEN SPENT. AND YEAR AFTER YEAR,
WE'RE HAVING SOME TYPE OF BILL
TO TRY TO CLOSE THAT GAP, SO ANY
THOUGHTS ON WHAT THE OPPOSITION
WAS TALKING ABOUT REGARDING THE
ONGOING COSTS IN THE RURAL AREA
SETTINGS? I KNOW THAT'S VERY
UNIQUE AND CHALLENGING. DO YOU
THINK WITH MAYBE MORE TIME WE
CAN GET THERE? I DON'T KNOW IF
SOMEBODY CAN ANSWER THAT IF I'M
NOT MISTAKEN, AND I'M GOING TO
TURN TO THE EXPERT, TO THE
COMMITTEE CONSULTANT TO GUIDE ME
HERE. THERE ARE EXEMPTIONS TODAY
IN THE BILL, AND I BELIEVE IF
IT'S 100,000, CUSTOMER BASE,
CUSTOMER BASE, THEY THEY'RE
EXEMPT. AND EITHER THAT'S IN
THIS PARTICULAR BILL. NO THEN
THEN IT IS FORTHCOMING. I
BELIEVE IN WILSON'S BILL, WHICH
WHICH, HAS THE EXEMPTIONS FOR
EMERGENCY SERVICES. SO WE'RE
WE'RE ONLY GOING TO BE REVIEWING
THIS BILL RIGHT NOW. THAT BILL
HAS IT IS VERY SUBSTANTIVELY
DIFFERENT THAN THE BILL THAT
THIS COMMITTEE HEARD. YES. SO
LET'S KEEP IT FOCUSED ON THIS
BILL. AND WHAT'S THE CONTENTS OF
THIS BILL. SO WE DON'T CONFUSE
THE ISSUES. I APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THAT, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU, I, I JUST WANT TO ADD
THAT, I MEAN, IF I CAN JUST. NO,
NO GO AHEAD. SORRY, SENATOR.
YEAH, I MEAN, I'M NOT IN THE
WEEDS AS FAR AS WHAT DAY TO DAY
THE COSTS ARE. BUT I DO KNOW ONE
THING IS, IF YOU DON'T FEEL THAT
YOU CAN IF A COMPANY DOESN'T
FEEL THAT IT COULD PROVIDE A LOW
COST PLAN WITH THESE, YOU KNOW,
WITH THIS THRESHOLD, THEN THEY
DON'T HAVE TO DO IT. THEY DON'T
HAVE TO TAKE THE STATE'S MONEY.
THEY CAN JUST SET UP SHOP AND DO
WHAT THEY DO, ADVERTISE TO GET,
YOU KNOW, THEIR BUSINESS. BUT
WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS IF YOU
DO GET ACCESS TO TAX DOLLARS,
THEN IN RETURN WE WANT THE YOU
KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO PROVIDE
SOMETHING MORE AND OFFER A PLAN
SO THAT THAT'S AFFORDABLE. SO
WE'RE NOT FORCING ANYBODY. YOU
KNOW, IF THEY FEEL THAT THEY
THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT. IF IT
DOESN'T PENCIL OUT THEN THEY
DON'T HAVE TO DO IT. NOT ALL
COMPANIES WILL DO THAT. SO I
THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS
WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT FORCING
EVERYBODY TO DO THE SAME THING.
OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. AND
OBVIOUSLY WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT
AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
AND A LOT OF THINGS. AND
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS BIG BECAUSE
YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING DAY TO DAY
WITHOUT HAVING INTERNET ACCESS.
SO HOW WE CAN CLOSE THAT GAP
SOONER RATHER THAN LATER? I
MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY
STILL BE SOME SOME ISSUES HERE,
BUT I'M LOOKING TOWARDS
SUPPORTING IT. BUT MAYBE RESERVE
MY RIGHT ON THE FLOOR. SEE WHAT
COMES OUT OF IT. I HOPEFULLY
THERE'S MORE TIME WE CAN WORK
OUT SOME MORE OF THESE ISSUES,
BUT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH OPPOSITION AND
HOPEFULLY WE COME TO A BETTER
GROUND TO MOVE IT FORWARD. SO I
JUST WANT TO SAY THIS COMMENT,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. ANY
OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS? NO OKAY, DO WE HAVE A
MOTION? SO MOVED. MOVED BY
BONTA. DO WE HAVE A SECOND,
SECOND SECOND BY RIVAS
ASSEMBLYMEMBERS, SENATOR
DURAZZO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
AGAIN, FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP IN
MAKING SURE THAT ALL
CALIFORNIANS HAVE ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE INTERNET. I
APPRECIATE YOU ALL YOUR WORK AND
ASK FOR ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. SO, I
WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS FOR
THIS DISCUSSION. I HAVE AN AI
RECOMMENDATION ON THIS BILL. WE
HAVE A MOTION BY BONTA. SECOND
BY RIVAS. THE MOTION ON SB 424
BY SENATOR DURAZZO IS DUE PASS
AS AMENDED. AND WE REFER TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
WILL THE COMMITTEE SECRETARY
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL BURNER? I
BURNER? I'M PATTERSON. BONTA I
BONTA I DAVIES DAVIES. NO GARCIA
HOLDEN HOOVER HOOVER NO
MAIENSCHEIN. MAIENSCHEIN. AYE.
NGUYEN NGUYEN. AYE. THREE OF US.
THREE OF US. AYE. RODRIGUEZ I
RODRIGUEZ. AYE THAT BILL IS OUT.
WE'LL LEAVE IT OPEN, FOR MEMBERS
TO ADD ON WITH THAT, I THINK
WE'RE GOING TO ANOTHER TERRAZZO
BELL TWO DE OSOS IN ONE DAY. SO
NEXT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE
OTHER DAY. NEXT WE'RE HEARING SB
1460 BY SENATOR DURAZZO. THE
BROADBAND LABOR STANDARDS ACT.
SENATOR DURAZZO, THANK YOU. YOU
MAY OPEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MADAM CHAIR. AND MEMBERS. I
ACCEPT THE TWO AMENDMENTS ON
PAGE FIVE OF THE COMMITTEE
ANALYSIS, SB, 1460. SB 1460 WILL
HELP ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR
ACCESS TO HIGH PAID JOBS AND
SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS
THROUGHOUT OUR BROADBAND
BUILDOUT. THIS BILL SUPPORTS
AGREEMENTS BETWEEN STATE
AGENCIES TO ADVANCE THE CREATION
OR RETENTION OF HIGH QUALITY
JOBS AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO
THESE COMMUNICATION JOBS THROUGH
QUALITY TRAINING. WHEN
CALIFORNIA ROLLED OUT THE
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER
FUNDED MIDDLE MILE PROJECTS, THE
AGENCIES INVOLVED DID NOT
INCLUDE STANDARDS THAT SUPPORT
QUALITY, JOB CREATION AND ACCESS
TO THOSE JOBS. INSTEAD, THEY
REFERENCED THE BASIC LABOR LAWS
THAT GENERALLY, ARE GENERALLY
APPLIED TO THESE TYPES OF
PROJECTS. THIS IS WHY I HAVE
BEEN ADVOCATING THROUGH THE
BUDGET AND IN THIS BILL TO APPLY
STRONG STANDARDS TO MIDDLE MILE
PROJECTS AND TO FEDERAL
BROADBAND INVESTMENTS. THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN VERY
CLEAR THAT FEDERAL DOLLARS OF
WHICH WE ARE GETTING PLENTY, ARE
MEANT TO IMPACT JOBS, THE
ECONOMY AND ADDRESS POVERTY.
THEY EXPECT STATES TO INCLUDE
STRONG LABOR STANDARDS AND
EQUITY WHEN USING FEDERAL FUNDS
WITHOUT STRONGER STANDARDS LABOR
STANDARDS, WE MAY END UP WITH A
NETWORK THAT IS INCOMPLETE OR
CANNOT BE KEPT RUNNING. THE
WORKERS WHO ARE AVAILABLE MAY
COME THROUGH CONTRACTORS WHO ARE
NOT PROVIDING THE BEST TRAINING.
THESE ARE WORKERS WHO RUN THE
FIBER OPTIC LINES, SPLICE THE
LINES AND CONNECT THE BROADBAND
NETWORK TO HOMES. AND A MAJOR
PART OF THIS NEED IS FOR WORKERS
WHO CAN MAINTAIN AND REPAIR THE
FIBER OPTIC LINES AND NETWORK.
ONCE THERE IS CONNECTIVITY, WE
NEED LOCAL HIRES. WE NEED, TO
ADDRESS POVERTY, AND WE NEED TO
PULL FROM HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT
AREAS TO NOT ONLY BUILD OUT
BROADBAND, BUT TO BUILD OUT THE
MIDDLE CLASS WITH ME. I HAVE
CHRISTINE, CLEO CABRAL FROM CWA
LOCAL 9408 AND IGNACIO HERNANDEZ
ARE HERE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT
OF THIS BILL. THANK YOU. SORRY.
YOU EACH HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK
YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS CLEO
CABRAL, AND I'M A MEMBER OF CWA
LOCAL 9408, ALSO A MEMBER OF THE
BROADBAND BRIGADE FOR CWA. AND
WE'RE IN FULL SUPPORT OF SB
1460. SO CWA AND ITS WORKERS ARE
ON THE FRONT LINES OF CLOSING
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND TRYING TO
GET BROADBAND TO ALL IT'S
COMMUNITIES. CWA IS WORKING
NATIONALLY AND IN CALIFORNIA AND
ALSO IN CALIFORNIA, BOTH IN
SHAPING POLICY, BUT ALSO DOING
BROADBAND SPECIFIC WORK. WE DO
THE MAINTENANCE OF THESE
NETWORKS AS WELL AS LONG TERM
CUSTOMER SERVICE AGREEMENT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE SEEN OTHER
STATES DO THEIR BUILD OUT ON
THEIR NETWORKS, NOT PROVIDING
HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING FOR
THEIR WORKERS, FREQUENTLY,
CONTRACTING OUT OF STATE WORKERS
WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE,
KNOWLEDGE AND LESSER QUALITY OF
NETWORK. FOR THE WORKERS. SO
WHAT WE'VE SEEN, WE HAVE
CONTRACTORS THAT ARE NOT
TRAINED, DON'T KNOW AS MUCH AS
OF OUR EXPERIENCE. THEY PUT OUT
THE NETWORK AND THINGS GO WRONG.
IT ENDS UP IN THE LONG RUN
COSTING US MORE MONEY, MORE
DOLLARS TO GO IN AND REPLACE.
BOTCHED WORK THAT'S DONE. AND
THEN WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THOSE
COMPANIES ARE STILL GOING TO BE
THERE DOWN THE ROAD. SO WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE HIGH
TRAINED, HIGH SKILLED WORKERS,
IN PLAY. AND THEN ALSO LITTLE
SHAKEN. I'M PROBABLY HEARING MY
VOICE. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
RURAL COMMUNITIES. I'M IN FRESNO
COUNTY, SO WE WERE EVACUATED
FROM, THE FIRES. SO WE SAW FIRST
HAND WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE MEANS.
WE DON'T WANT FAST, QUICK, CHEAP
INFRASTRUCTURES. WE WANT HIGH
QUALITY, SKILLED WORKERS WITH
THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE
SURE THINGS ARE DONE RIGHT.
THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
MEMBERS. EXCUSE ME, IGNACIO
HERNANDEZ ON BEHALF OF THE
COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA
DISTRICT NINE, WHICH ENCOMPASSES
CALIFORNIA, NEVADA AND HAWAII.
WE ARE THE SPONSORS OF THE BILL,
LET ME JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE'VE BEEN, COLLABORATIVELY
WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF
STAKEHOLDERS ON TRYING TO HELP
MOVE FORWARD THE BROADBAND
DEPLOYMENT FUNDS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA AS MANY OF YOU HAVE
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND
CONTINUE TO DO SO, AND IT HAS
BEEN AN ONGOING PUSH TO ENSURE
THAT WE HAVE LABOR STANDARDS,
NOT JUST FOR THE BUILD OUT, BUT
ALSO FOR WHAT WE WILL NEED A
VERY, LARGE, WELL-TRAINED
WORKFORCE TO CONTINUE AND
MAINTAIN AND ENSURE THE NETWORKS
ARE IN PLACE FOR A LONG TIME AND
TO GET IT OUT TO ALL, OF ALL
COMMUNITIES. WE'VE BEEN HAVING
TO GO PIECE BY PIECE AND TRYING
TO GET LABOR STANDARDS IN, AND
NOT ALWAYS BEING SUCCESSFUL. AND
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO WITH
THIS BILL IS TO TRY TO ESTABLISH
IN CALIFORNIA, VERY STRONG, VERY
WELL KNOWN AND IMPLEMENTABLE,
LABOR STANDARDS SO THAT WHEN WE
GO FORWARD WITH BROADBAND BUILD
OUT, MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP AND
REPAIR OF A BROADBAND SERVICES
IN CALIFORNIA AND THE NETWORKS
THAT WE ARE BUILDING AND WILL
CONTINUE TO INVEST IN FOR YEARS
TO COME, WE HAVE WON THE RIGHT
WORKERS. WE HAVE AS MANY WORKERS
AS WE NEED, AND THEY'RE WELL
TRAINED AND CAN DO THE JOB THE
RIGHT WAY, AS WE JUST HEARD,
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO IT RIGHT,
WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT IN THE
LONG RUN. SO UNFORTUNATELY, WE
DON'T HAVE ESTABLISHED BROADBAND
WORKER STANDARDS IN CALIFORNIA
YET, IN PART BECAUSE WE JUST
HAVEN'T INVESTED IN THE
INFRASTRUCTURE OR THE WORKFORCE
AS MUCH AS, IN OTHER INDUSTRIES.
SO THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ESTABLISH THOSE STANDARDS GOING
FORWARD. SO WE ALWAYS KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN IT
COMES TO BROADBAND, WHETHER IT'S
THE SPLICERS OR ANYONE ELSE. SO
FOR THOSE REASONS, WE ASK FOR
YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. WE'LL
NEXT MOVE TO ANY ADDITIONAL
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT ME APPROACH
THE MIC WITH NAME, AFFILIATION
AND POSITION ONLY. PLEASE GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS
ELMER LAZARD WITH THE CALIFORNIA
LABOR FEDERATION IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU TO OUR WITNESSES AND
SUPPORT. MOVING ON. DO WE HAVE
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION? YOU
MAY APPROACH THE DESK OR YOUR
MIC. WHAT DO YOU WANT, DESK OR
MIC? IT'S REALLY SHORT. OKAY
AMANDA GUADERRAMA WITH CAL
BROADBAND, WE HAVE AN OPPOSED
POSITION, BUT WANTED TO THANK
THE AUTHOR, THE STAFF AND THE
COMMITTEE FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS
BILL AND BELIEVE THE AMENDMENTS
TAKEN TODAY ADDRESS OUR ISSUES
AND WILL ADJUST OUR POSITION
WHEN THEY ARE IN PRINT. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION? NAME,
POSITION AND AFFILIATION ONLY.
PLEASE OKAY, BRING IT BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. I DO HAVE SOME
COMMENTS BEFORE I OPEN IT UP.
FIRST, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE
AUTHOR, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S
DIFFERING OPINIONS ABOUT WHETHER
THE MIDDLE MILE PROJECT WOULD BE
INCLUDED IN THIS BILL, BECAUSE
THE MOU WOULD BE BETWEEN THE
WORKFORCE BOARD AND THE CPUC
INSTEAD OF K¾T. SO THIS WHEN YOU
HAVE THE CPUC ADMINISTERS ONLY
THE LAST MILE GRANTS, CDVA, K¾T
HAS THE MIDDLE MILE. SO THIS IS
IF YOU'RE DOING AN MOU BETWEEN
THE WORKFORCE BOARD AND THE
CPUC, YOU'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT
LAST MILE, CAN YOU? SO CAN YOU
TELL ME HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK
FOR THE MIDDLE MILE OR WHAT THE
CONNECTION WOULD HAVE BEEN? OKAY
AS I UNDERSTAND IT'S GOING TO
COVER. ALL RIGHT. THEY DON'T
COVER ALL CPUC ADMINISTERS. LAST
MILE K¾T ADMINISTERS MIDDLE MILE
. THIS EXISTING MOU WITH THE
PUC. THAT'S WHY IT CALLS OUT THE
PUC. OKAY. LIST OF THE FUNDING
SOURCE IS THE SAME ONE FOR. SO I
CAN WEIGH IN AS WELL. SAME TIME.
OKAY SO THAT'S WHY YOU USED THE
RIGHT, JUST AS A REFERENCE FOR
US. FOR ME IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN
WORKING ON IS BASED ON THE MODEL
OF THE OF A MOU BETWEEN THE
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION AND THE CALIFORNIA
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD. SO
THAT'S A MODEL WE'VE BEEN
WORKING ON AS FAR AS THE
TRAINING, THE TRAINING
STANDARDS. YES THE CPUC ONLY HAS
PURVIEW OVER LAST MILE. MIDDLE
MILE SITS WITH K¾T. SO IF YOU
HAVE AN MOU BETWEEN THE
WORKFORCE BOARD AND CPUC THAT
DOESN'T INCLUDE K¾T AT ALL, AND
K¾T IS DOING THE MIDDLE MILE.
OKAY IF I IF I MAY YES, MADAM
CHAIR, I BELIEVE THERE WAS
ATTEMPT IN THE LANGUAGE AND IF
CLARIFICATION THAT'S NEEDED, I
BELIEVE THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER
PROVISION IN THE BILL I'M TRYING
TO PULL IT UP REAL QUICKLY THAT
TALKS ABOUT ESTABLISHING,
STANDARDS. SO THERE'S BOTH THE
MOU LANGUAGE, BUT THERE'S ALSO
ANOTHER PROVISION THAT WOULD
ESTABLISH BROADBAND STANDARDS,
WHETHER IT'S CPUC OR OTHER STATE
AGENCIES. I THINK THAT IS
REFERENCED. AND I THINK THE WAY
THERE MAY BE SOME DIFFERENT
INTERPRETATION IF I'M WRONG ON
THIS, MY APOLOGIES. I THINK SOME
OF THE LANGUAGE TALKS ABOUT
GRANTS AND HOW THE MONEY IS
ALLOCATED. AND THEN THAT MAY BE
CONSTRUED, INTERPRETED TO, TO
MAKE IT MORE NARROW, SO THERE'S
KIND OF TWO DIFFERENT
PROVISIONS, ONE THAT JUST
REFERENCES THE CPUC AND I
BELIEVE THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT
REFERENCES KIND OF BROADER
LANGUAGE ABOUT OTHER STATE
AGENCIES. IF I'M WRONG ON THAT,
MY APOLOGIES, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN
RUNNING AROUND A LOT TODAY AS AS
ALL OF YOU HAVE. BUT I THINK
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO
GET TO. BUT THE MOU PART, I
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YES. I THINK THE BILL IN FRONT
OF US TODAY DOES NOT MAKE IT
EXPLICIT THAT THERE'S MIDDLE
MILE INVOLVED AND SOME OF THE
MIDDLE MILE IS A LOT OF THE
MIDDLE MILE HAS ALREADY BEEN SET
THROUGH EITHER, LEASING JOINT
BUILD OR NEW CONSTRUCTION. AND
SO I THINK IF YOU WANTED IT TO
COVER MIDDLE MILE, THAT'S NOT
THE BILL IN FRONT OF US. THERE
WOULD HAVE TO BE EXPLICIT THINGS
LIKE THAT. AND WHEN IT WOULD BE
MY OPINION AS CHAIR, THAT YOU
WOULD NOT WANT TO INTERFERE WITH
THE EXISTING ONGOING AWARDING
AND BUILDING OF THE MIDDLE MILE.
SO WE THAT'S NOT THE BILL IN
FRONT OF US TODAY. SO WE'RE NOT
GOING TO TAKE ANY POSITIONS ON
THAT. BUT THE BILL IN FRONT OF
US TODAY IS A MODEL CONTRACT.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE MOU
BETWEEN CPUC AND THE WORKFORCE
BOARD. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE
COMMITTEE WOULD BE HAPPY TO KEEP
WORKING WITH THE SPONSORS AND
THE AUTHOR ON. WE WOULD HAVE TO
GO BACK TO THE SENATE COMMITTEE
BECAUSE THERE ARE AMENDMENTS
THAT RESTRUCTURED IN THE SENATE.
SO WE'D HAVE TO DO A LOT OF WORK
IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
WE CAN DO IT. HAPPY TO HAVE
THOSE CONVERSATIONS. AND THANK
YOU. MADAM CHAIR, THANK FORWARD
TO IT. THANK YOU, I ALSO WANT TO
NOTE THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS,
NOTE IN THE ANALYSIS WILL
ADDRESS THE POLICY ISSUE I SAW
WITH DELAYING THESE PROJECTS
FURTHER, GIVEN THE MONEY IS
ALREADY FUNDED. SECONDLY, IN THE
WORKING GROUP THAT IS BEING
CALLED FOR, I THOUGHT IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO EXPLICITLY CALL OUT
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS TO BE
INCLUDED. AS WE KNOW, IT'S THE
ISP THAT WILL ACTUALLY DO THE
HIRING AND CONSTRUCTION OF OUR
LAST MILE BROADBAND PROJECT. SO
I'M SURE THEY'LL HAVE A LOT TO
CONTRIBUTE TO WHATEVER COMES UP
IN THE WORKING GROUP. ARE THERE
ANY MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO
SPEAK ON THIS BILL? SECOND
MOTION BY NGUYEN. SECOND BY
HOOVER. WITH THAT, SENATOR
DURAZZO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU FOR AGAIN FOR
ALL YOUR HELP. AND RESPECTFULLY,
I OKAY MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION
BY NGUYEN, SECOND BY HOOVER. THE
MOTION ON SB 1460 BY SENATOR
DURAZZO IS DO PASS AS AMENDED
AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS WITH THE
COMMITTEE SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL. SB 1460 DURAZZO BURNER
I BURNER I PATTERSON. BONTA I
BONTA I DAVIES. DAVIES I GARCIA
HOLDEN HOLDEN I HOOVER HOOVER I
MAIENSCHEIN MAIENSCHEIN AYE
NGUYEN NGUYEN AYE THREE OF US
THREE OF US AYE. RODRIGUEZ.
RODRIGUEZ. AYE. THE BILL IS OUT.
WE'LL KEEP IT OPEN FOR OTHER
AUTHORS OR OTHER COMMITTEE
MEMBERS TO ADD ON. THANK YOU,
SENATOR DURAZZO. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. AND WITH THAT, DO I
SEE SENATOR BRADFORD?
WITH THE BILLS. OH, WE. BILL I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AYE VOTE.
SO WE'RE HEARING SB 1383 BY
SENATOR BRADFORD RELATED TO THE
CALIFORNIA ADVANCED SERVICES
FUND BROADBAND PUBLIC HOUSING
ACCOUNT. SENATOR BRADFORD, YOU
MAY OPEN I WAS TOLD NEVER TALK
BEYOND. YES. SO I'M STOPPING.
NO. 213, WELL IN 2013, I
AUTHORED THE BILL THAT
ESTABLISHED THE BROADBAND PUBLIC
HOUSING ACCOUNT AND PROVIDED,
$30 MILLION TO HELP CONNECT
PUBLIC HOUSING TO THE INTERNET.
THIS ACCOUNT MAKES MONEY
AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC HOUSING
AGENCIES TO PARTNER WITH THE
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS OR
OTHER CONTRACTORS TO MAKE
NECESSARY FACILITY UPGRADES IN
ORDER TO CONNECT A COMMUNITY TO
A NEARBY BROADBAND NETWORK THAT
ACCOUNT HAS SINCE BEEN EXPANDED
TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS OF LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES AND REQUIRE
THE OFFER OF FREE BROADBAND
SERVICES AS A CONDITION OF
RECEIVING FUNDS, THE ACCOUNT
WILL FINANCE UP TO 100% OF THE
COST TO INSTALL INSIDE WIRING
AND OTHER BROADBAND NETWORK
EQUIPMENT. UNFORTUNATELY
BROADBAND PUBLIC HOUSING ACCOUNT
CONTINUES TO BE WOEFULLY
UNDERUTILIZED. THIS MEASURE DOES
THREE THINGS. IT WIDENS THE
ELIGIBILITY APPLICANT POOL FOR
CALIFORNIA'S BROADBAND PUBLIC
HOUSING ACCOUNT. IT CLARIFIES
THAT NEW INTERNET SUBSCRIPTION
PLANS CAN BE PROVIDED FOR FREE
OR AT LOW COST TO THE COMMUNITY,
AND IT ENABLES THE BROADBAND,
PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY TO ACT,
TO I SHOULD SAY, AWARD GRANTS TO
DEPLOY DEVICES THAT CAN IMPROVE
EXISTING BROADBAND SERVICES,
1383 REMOVES BARRIERS TO THE
DEPLOYMENT OF HIGH SPEED
BROADBAND INTERNET IN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT THE
MOST. AND HERE TESTIFYING TODAY
AS CHRIS ARZATE, A RESIDENT
SERVICE MANAGER WITH THE HOUSING
AUTHORITY, WITH THE CITY OF LA
AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
VOTE. SO THERE'S SOME ENTHUSIASM
FOR THIS BILL. SO YOU MAY USE
FOUR MINUTES, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE
TO. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, AS MENTIONED, MY NAME
IS CHRIS RZA. I'M THE RESIDENT
SERVICES MANAGER FOR THE HOUSING
AUTHORITY FOR THE CITY OF LA, MY
ROLE THERE IS TO MANAGE ALL THE
SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT PROVIDE
RESOURCES TO THE, 17,038 PUBLIC
HOUSING RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN
60, 140 UNITS ACROSS 14 PUBLIC
HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. MY ROLE
ALSO OVERSEES THE DIGITAL EQUITY
INITIATIVES, COMPUTER LEARNING
CENTERS, AND RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT TO SECURE CAPITAL OR
IN-KIND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE
NEED FOR AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO
BROADBAND, HOME COMPUTING
DEVICES AND PROGRAMING. HECLA IS
FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN ADVOCATE IN
SENATOR BRADFORD, WHO REPRESENTS
2520, OR 41% OF HACKLEY'S PUBLIC
HOUSING, OF WHICH 97% ARE LATINO
AND AFRICAN AMERICAN, 33% ARE
UNDER THE AGE OF 17 AND 15 OVER
THE AGE OF 31. WE ALSO SERVICE
ABOUT 43,706 SECTION EIGHT
FAMILIES, AND WE HAVE AN ASSET
MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO OF ABOUT
6500 UNITS, WHERE WE ARE ALSO
EXPANDING OUR DIGITAL
INITIATIVES, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES
THE BUILD OUT OR CREATION OF
COMPUTER LABS WITH EQUIPMENT,
DISTRIBUTION OF FREE SERVICES TO
SENIORS AND PROGRAMING. HACKLER
HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE
CALIFORNIA ADVANCED SERVICES
FUND, BOTH FOR THE PUBLIC
HOUSING ACCOUNT AND THE
BROADBAND ADOPTION ACCOUNT,
THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH
STARRY INTERNET, STARRY
INSTALLED WI-FI INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT IS NOW OWNED BY HACLA. 12
OF OUR PUBLIC HOUSING
DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BUILT OUT
WI-FI NETWORKS WITH 44%
SUBSCRIPTION AVERAGE ACP
PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO
RAPIDLY ENROLL RESIDENTS TO
ACCESS BROADBAND AT NO COST, VIA
STARRY. AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY UP
FOR 500 UP AND 50 DOWN. THE
ACCELERATED SUBSCRIPTIONS ENDED
ABRUPTLY IN FEBRUARY 24TH, AND
OUR RESIDENTS WERE FACED WITH
THE REALITY OF HAVING TO PAY A
FEE FOR SERVICES THAT, PRIOR TO
ACP, WERE NEITHER REQUIRED OR
AFFORDABLE. LIMITED
DISCRETIONARY FUNDING IS AN
UNDERSTATEMENT FOR OUR
RESIDENTS. OUR RESIDENTS HAD
SHORT NOTICE UPON ACP'S ABRUPT
TERMINATION TO DECIDE TO PAY FOR
INTERNET ACCESS EACH MONTH OR
FEED THE FAMILY FOR ONE DAY.
HACLA CANNOT AFFORD TO SUBSIDIZE
THE COST OF FREE INTERNET ACCESS
TO OUR RESIDENTS, WHICH WOULD
REQUIRE US TO QUALIFY FOR
FUNDING TO CONNECT OUR ASSET
MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO OR THE
REMAINING PUBLIC HOUSING
DEVELOPMENTS. WHILE HACLA AND
OTHER PHAS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSES
SEARCH FOR AN ACP REPLACEMENT,
LOW INCOME RESIDENTS WILL HAVE
TO PAY AT A MARKET OR REDUCED
RATE DIRECTLY FROM PROVIDERS OR
SEARCH FOR OTHER SUBSIDIES.
HOWEVER, FOR HACKLER RESIDENTS
AND OTHERS LIKE OURS CANNOT TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE FOR ACCOUNT
FUNDING WITHOUT THE INCLUSION OF
LOW COST INTERNET LANGUAGE. TO
QUALIFY FOR THE FOR FUNDING, WE
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AN I VOTE
IN SUPPORT OF SB 1383 TO ALLOW
PHAS LIKE HACLA AND OTHER
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACT HOUSES
ACCESS TO THE NATIVE NEEDED CAST
OF FF ACCOUNT FUNDS TO CONTINUE
THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO CLOSE
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. I THINK WE HAD
ENTHUSIASM BEFORE SENATOR
BRADFORD EVER STEPPED DOWN. SO
IF THERE'S A MOTION, WAS THERE A
MOTION? MOTION BY DAVIES? SECOND
BY I'M SORRY, BY J. BY RODRIGUEZ
OKAY. SO WITH THAT, ANY OTHER
ADDITIONAL WITNESSES AND SUPPORT
PLEASE COME TO THE MIC NAME,
AFFILIATION AND POSITION ONLY,
PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM
CHAIR AND MEMBERS, PAMELA GIBBS,
REPRESENTING THE LOS ANGELES
COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION,
SERVING OVER 450 UNIQUE LOCAL
EDUCATION AGENCIES AND 1.3
MILLION CHILDREN IN SUPPORT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, NICOLE CURRY
WITH THE OFFICE OF LOS ANGELES
MAYOR KAREN BASS IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
AMANDA GOLDEN WITH CAL BROADBAND
AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU, FOR TO
OUR WITNESSES IN SUPPORT, DO WE
HAVE ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION? YOU MAY APPROACH THE
MIC AND NAME, AFFILIATION AND
POSITION ONLY. PLEASE NO
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION.
RETURNING BACK TO THE COMMITTEE.
I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT TO MAKE.
AND IT'S TO REMIND US ALL THAT
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS NOT JUST A
RURAL PROBLEM IN URBAN AREAS. A
LOT OF THE UNSERVED POPULATION
IS LIVING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
AND MULTI-DWELLING HOUSING. IF
WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THOSE
AREAS, WE'LL MAKE A BIG DENT IN
THE URBAN CONNECTIVITY. SO I
APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR FOR
BRINGING FORWARD THIS BILL.
SENATOR BRADFORD, ARE ANY OTHER
COMMITTEE COMMENTS ANYBODY WANT?
YEAH ASSEMBLYMEMBER BONTA, THANK
YOU. I JUST HAD A QUESTION. I'M
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHO
ULTIMATELY WE'RE EXPANDING THE
ELIGIBILITY OF PROVIDERS WHO ARE
ABLE TO CONDUCT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE WORK AND THE
FACILITIES THAT CAN RECEIVE IT
AS WELL. OKAY AND SO THE MONEY
IS GOING TO THE PROVIDERS. YES.
FACILITIES. YEAH. OKAY I JUST
WANTED SOME BACKGROUND ON THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU OKAY. THANK
YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. WE
HAVE A MOTION BY DAVIS. SECOND
BY RODRIGUEZ. SENATOR BRADFORD,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I
RESPECTFULLY ASK I VOTE THANK
YOU, SENATOR BRADFORD, FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION, THE MOTION ON SB
1383 BY SENATOR BRADFORD IS DO
PASS AND BE REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
WILL THE SECRETARY PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL SB 1383 BRADFORD BURNER
I BURNER I PATTERSON BONTA I
BONTA I DAVIES DAVIES I GARCIA
GARCIA I HOLDEN HOLDEN I HOOVER
HOOVER I MAIENSCHEIN MAIENSCHEIN
AYE WIN WIN I THREE OF US AYE
THREE OF US I RODRIGUEZ I
RODRIGUEZ AYE. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. MEMBERS OKAY. THAT BILL
IS OUT 10 TO 0. AND THAT
CONCLUDES ALL THE BILL PRESENT
NÓ. YEAH. WE'RE GOING TO ADD ON,
THE ITEMS ON CALL SB 424 DARAZO
AND SB 1460 DARAZO COMMITTEE
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
SB 424 DO PASS AS AMENDED AND
REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. GARCIA. GARCIA
AYE. HOLDEN. HOLDEN. AYE. THAT
BILL IS OUT 8 TO 2 SB 1460.
DURAZZO. GARCIA A GARCIA. I.
THAT BILL IS OUT 10 TO 0.
MEMBERS. THIS CONCLUDES THE WORK
OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON
COMMUNICATIONS AND CONVEYANCE.
TODAY. WE ARE ADJOURNED. Ó.