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SB-1191 • 2026

Communications: universal service programs.

Communications: universal service programs.

Budget Crime Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Ochoa Bogh
Last action
2026-04-20
Official status
April 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide details on how funds will be used beyond extending the programs.

Extending Universal Service Programs

The bill extends the California High-Cost Fund-A and -B programs until January 1, 2033 to support telephone corporations serving rural areas.

What This Bill Does

  • Stretches the CHCF-A program that helps small independent phone companies in rural areas until 2033.
  • Extends the CHCF-B program for all phone companies where service costs are higher than rates charged by providers until 2033.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Small independent phone companies in rural areas
  • Telephone corporations serving high-cost service areas

Terms To Know

Universal Service Programs
Programs that help ensure everyone has access to affordable telephone services.
Public Utilities Commission
The state agency responsible for regulating public utilities like phone companies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how the funds will be used beyond extending the programs.
  • Requires no reimbursement to local agencies or school districts.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-20 California Legislative Information

    April 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  2. 2026-04-10 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 20.

  3. 2026-04-07 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. 2026-03-25 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 7.

  5. 2026-03-04 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on E., U & C.

  6. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.

  7. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1191, as introduced, Ochoa Bogh.
Communications: universal service programs.
Existing law authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to supervise and regulate every public utility in the state, including telephone corporations, and to fix just and reasonable rates and charges for public utilities. Existing law establishes the state’s 6 universal service funds in the State Treasury, including the California High-Cost Fund-A Administrative Committee Fund (CHCF-A) and the California High-Cost Fund-B Administrative Committee Fund (CHCF-B), and provides that moneys in each of the state’s universal service funds are the proceeds of rates and are held in trust for the benefit of ratepayers and to compensate telephone corporations for their costs of providing universal service. Moneys in the funds may only be expended to accomplish specified telecommunications universal service programs, upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act or upon supplemental appropriation.
Existing law, the CHCF-A program, until January 1, 2028, requires the commission to develop, implement, and maintain a suitable program to establish a fair and equitable local rate structure aided by universal service rate support to small independent telephone corporations that serve rural areas and are subject to rate-of-return regulation by the commission. Existing law, the CHCF-B program, until January 1, 2028, requires the commission to 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.
This bill would extend the CHCF-A program and CHCF-B program requirements to January 1, 2033.
Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities
Act or an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.
Because the CHCF-A program and CHCF-B program, which would extended under the provisions of this bill, are part of the act, and a violation of a commission action implementing the programs’ requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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