SB 1161 - Phone Deregulation Threatens Affordability, Reliability and Safety in CA
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Update 9/29. Sadly, Governor Brown signed SB 1161 into law on Friday September 28th despite the spirited opposition of almost every public interest advocacy group in California.
Update 8/27 - On 8/23 the Legislature approved SB 1161, and it is now on the Governor's desk, waiting his decision to sign or veto. There is no other way to stop SB 1161 at this point than a gubernatorial veto.
Update 8/16 - Full Assembly vote still pending into early next week. Appropriations passed it easily and simple amendment language to much improve the bill is not being considered. Without the public interest amendment, this is a disaster for consumers. Write your assemblyperson here
Update 6/25: SB 1161 passed the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee by a vote of 13-1. The dissenting vote was cast by Assemblyman Jared Huffman. The bill now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, either this week or in August of 2012.
5/30 Update: SB 1161, the telephone deregulation bill, passed the CA State Senate today by a vote of 30-6. Big props to Senators Yee, Leno, Wolk, Simitian, Hancock and Corbett for courageously voting no on this bad bill. Now, it moves to the Assembly where we have to put the brakes on.
4/28 Update: Unsurprisingly the motion passed the CA Senate Utilities Committee, but there is still a long way to go. If you are in the Central Valley or can get there, we need you at the PUC meeting on May 10th at Fresno City Hall. You must be there at 8:30am to sign up to comment.
Under the pending legislation, which is on the "fast track" in Sacramento, any VOIP (voice over internet protocol) communications, even those where one party is using a landline, are punted out of the regulatory oversight of the Public Utilities Commission, leaving consumers in California basically on their own in the Wild West on a host of issues including universal service, non-discrimination, privacy protections, service quality through line maintenance requirements, fair billing and collections, refunds for unauthorized charges, and reporting on contractual rates for female and minority-owned businesses.
Utility deregulation has proven a disaster over and over again, and yet the lobbying goes on.
AT&T and Verizon have won this battle in 26 states, Don't let California be the 27th!