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Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, 12th District California Public Utilities Commission

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA ADVISORY

Media Contacts: 
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma's Office: Nick Hardeman, 415-999-9277
PUC: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov                

ASSEMBLYWOMAN MA AND PUC COMMISSIONER CHONG HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE ON LOW-INCOME TELEPHONE PROGRAM

SAN FRANCISCO, February 6, 2007 - California State Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) and Commissioner Rachelle Chong of the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will host a joint press conference to discuss the PUC's low-income telephone program, California LifeLine (also known as ULTS). The California LifeLine program provides discounted telephone service to qualifying low-income consumers.

WHEN: Friday, February 9, 2007

WHERE: PUC Auditorium

Every year, consumers who are enrolled in California LifeLine must show the PUC that they are eligible to remain on the program. This recertification process used to be done by the telephone companies, but as of July 2006 that task was assigned to a third-party company. As a result of this change, many consumers were confused about how to show their continuing eligibility for the program and some consumers were removed from the program.

Because of this confusion, on November 9, 2006, the Commission temporarily suspended the recertification process for up to six months to allow for time to correct the problem. Consumers who were removed from California LifeLine because they did not turn in their eligibility forms or did not return the forms on time are being placed back on California LifeLine service and their bills credited accordingly.

For more information on Assemblywoman Ma, please visit http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a12/default.aspx.

For more information on the PUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

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