Communications: broadband internet service providers: affordable home internet service.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on eligibility criteria for affordable home internet service.

Affordable Home Internet Service

This law requires internet service providers in California to offer affordable home internet plans with minimum speed requirements to eligible households and report annually to the Department of Technology.

What This Bill Does

• Requires broadband internet service providers in California to offer an affordable home internet plan that meets certain speed standards to eligible households within their service territory.
• Needs internet companies to make commercially reasonable efforts to promote and advertise the availability of these affordable plans for eligible households.
• Asks broadband providers to send yearly reports with details about their affordable internet plans to the Department of Technology starting January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

• Internet service providers in California
• Eligible households looking for affordable internet plans

Terms To Know

Broadband Internet Service Provider

A company that provides high-speed internet access to homes and businesses.

Affordable Home Internet Service

An internet plan offered by providers at a lower cost than regular plans, meeting certain speed requirements.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law does not specify who is eligible for the affordable home internet service.
• If a federal or state program offering broadband subsidies to low-income households meets specific criteria, this bill's provisions will no longer be in effect.

Official Summary Text

AB 353, as amended, Boerner.
Communications: broadband internet service providers: affordable home
internet.
internet service.
Existing law, the Digital Equity Bill of Rights, provides that it is the principle of the state to ensure digital equity for all residents of the state, that residents shall have access to broadband that meets specific requirements, and that it is the policy of the state that, to the extent technically feasible, broadband internet subscribers benefit from equal access to broadband internet service within the service area of a broadband provider.
Existing law, the California Internet Consumer Protection and Net Neutrality Act of 2018, prohibits fixed and mobile internet service providers, as defined, that provide broadband internet access service, as defined, from engaging in specified actions concerning the treatment of internet traffic, including engaging in paid prioritization.
This bill would
require every California internet service provider, except as specified, to offer for purchase to eligible households, as defined, within their California service territory affordable home internet
service that meets minimum speed requirements.
service, as defined.
The bill would also require every California internet service provider to make commercially reasonable efforts to promote and advertise the availability of affordable home internet service for eligible households, as provided.
Existing law establishes within the Government Operations Agency the Department of Technology, which is supervised by the Director of Technology. Existing law authorizes the director and the department to exercise various powers in creating and managing the information technology policy of the
state.
This bill would, starting January 1, 2027, require California internet service providers to annually provide a report to the Department of Technology with specified information related to their affordable home internet service
plans and broadband products.
plans.
This bill would provide that the Public Utilities Commission has no jurisdiction or regulatory authority to implement, enforce, interpret, or oversee any aspect of these provisions, as specified, and would require any administrative or oversight responsibilities to be carried out exclusively by the Department of Technology.
This bill would make its provisions inoperative upon the implementation of a federal or state broadband
subscription subsidy program for low income households that meets specified criteria.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF