Plain English Breakdown
The official text mentions exceptions ('except as specified') for sharing data but does not list what those specific situations are.
Protecting Privacy in the Lifeline Phone Program
This law stops phone companies and program managers from sharing personal information about low-income phone users with government or immigration agencies unless a court orders them to do so.
What This Bill Does
- Prohibits sharing applicant or subscriber data with local, state, federal, or immigration authorities without a court-ordered subpoena or valid judicial warrant, except as specified in the law.
- Allows program managers and service providers to ask for Social Security numbers but forbids requiring them from applicants or subscribers.
- Defines 'lawful process' specifically as an action taken under a court-ordered subpoena or judicial warrant.
Who It Names or Affects
- Applicants and subscribers in the Universal Lifeline Telephone Service program
- The California Public Utilities Commission and its staff
- Third-party administrators, service providers, contractors, agents, successors, or assignees of the lifeline program
Terms To Know
- Universal Lifeline Telephone Service program
- A state program that gives low-income households access to affordable basic residential telephone service.
- Court-ordered subpoena or judicial warrant
- An official legal order from a judge that requires someone to provide information or allows officials to search for it.
Limits and Unknowns
- The law includes exceptions where sharing is allowed, but the summary does not list those specific situations.
- The bill states no state reimbursement is required for local agencies because of a specified reason, though that exact reason is not detailed in this text.