ALJ/MAB/hkr Mailed 10/29/2002

Decision 02-10-060 October 24, 2002

BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Rulemaking on the Commission's Own Motion to Comply with the Mandates of Senate Bill 1712.

Rulemaking 01-05-046 (Filed May 24, 2001)

OPINION COMPLETING PROCEEDING AND CLOSING DOCKET

Summary and Background

The Commission initiated this proceeding to respond to Senate Bill (SB) 1712 (Polanco, Ch.943, Stats. 2000), codified as Pub. Util. Code §§ 871.7 and 883, which requires this Commission to open an investigation into the feasibility of redefining universal telephone service to include high-speed internet access, and to report its findings to the Legislature. The legislation also requires that the Commission hold "public hearings that encourage participation by a broad and diverse range of interests from all areas of the state." (Section 883(a).)

The Commission held Public Participation Hearings throughout the state, and interested members of the public made their views known on the issues to be addressed in this proceeding. In the formal phase of this proceeding, the Commission received two rounds of generally well-researched and carefully reasoned comments from the formal parties. With this information, as well as the results of Commission staff work, the Commission prepared and submitted the required report to the Legislature on August 14, 2002. All formal parties were mailed a copy of the report on August 15, 2002.