§ 276.5. — 276.5. (Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 706, Sec. 2.)

(a)
The commission shall 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. The program shall be known, and may be cited, as the California High-Cost Fund-B Administrative Committee Fund program or CHCF-B program. The purpose of the program shall be to promote the goals of universal telephone service and to reduce any disparity in the rates charged by those companies. Except as otherwise explicitly provided, this subdivision does not limit the manner in which the commission collects and disburses funds, and does not limit the manner in which it
may include or exclude the revenue of contributing entities in structuring the program.
(b)
The commission shall structure the CHCF-B program so that any charge imposed to promote the goals of universal service reasonably equals the value of the benefits of universal service to contributing entities and their subscribers.
(c)
The commission shall investigate reducing the level of universal service rate support, or elimination of universal service rate support in service areas with demonstrated competition.
(d)
This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 706, Sec. 2. (SB 857) Effective September 28, 2022. Repealed as of January 1, 2028, by its own provisions.