D0306070 Implementing SB 669 and AB 1734 as They Affect the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program

II. Background

This rulemaking concerns the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications (DDTP), the final public program to be addressed by the Commission in its implementation of SB 669. This program is funded through utility customer bills and has been supervised by the Commission, operated by an external staff and administered by the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative Committee (DDTPAC) with input from the CRSAC and EPAC.

SB 669 codifies six advisory boards to advise the Commission regarding the development, implementation and administration of the existing eight telecommunications programs,¹ assigns one or more of the programs to each board, and establishes a new fund in the State Treasury to correspond with each board. Under SB 669, the Commission must transfer the monies associated with the programs into a specified Treasury fund.

AB 1734, urgency legislation enacted on June 20, 2002, requires fund transfers for the DDTP to commence on July 1, 2003. Additionally, AB 1734 renamed the DDTPAC, the Telecommunications Access for the Deaf and Disabled Administrative Committee (TADDAC).

Resolution T-16703, approved by the Commission on December 17, 2002, adopted a transition plan for the DDTP in order to comply with SB 669 and AB 1734. Ordering Paragraph 1 of T-16703 states:

The Commission directs the Commission Executive Director to prepare for Commission adoption no later than January 31, 2003, an Order Instituting Rulemaking (OIR), which reflects the recommendations for the charters of the Telecommunications Access for the Deaf and Disabled Administrative Committee (TADDAC), California Relay Service Advisory Committee (CRSAC), and Equipment Program Advisory Committee (EPAC) as advisory committees of the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) as set forth in this resolution. Further, a decision in the OIR proceeding shall be placed before the Commission for its consideration and adoption by May 1, 2003.

R.03-03-014, which was issued on March 13, 2003, included draft charters for the three DDTP committees and invited comments on the charters and other issues relating to the DDTP program. Comments were filed on April 15, 2003 and reply comments, on April 25, 2003.

¹ The Commission has seven public programs aside from the DDTP: California High Cost Fund-A, California High Cost Fund-B, California Teleconnect Fund, Payphone Service Providers Enforcement Program, Public Policy Payphone Program, the Telecommunications Devices For the Deaf Interim Placement Program, and Universal Lifeline Telephone Services.