Section 276.5 Of Chapter 1.5. Advisory Boards From California Public Utilities Code >> Division 1. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1.5.
276.5
. (a) The commission shall 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. The program shall be known, and may be
cited, as the California High-Cost Fund-B Administrative Committee
Fund program or CHCF-B program. The purpose of the program shall be
to promote the goals of universal telephone service and to reduce any
disparity in the rates charged by those companies. Except as
otherwise explicitly provided, this subdivision does not limit the
manner in which the commission collects and disburses funds, and does
not limit the manner in which it may include or exclude the revenue
of contributing entities in structuring the program.
(b) The commission shall structure the CHCF-B program so that any
charge imposed to promote the goals of universal service reasonably
equals the value of the benefits of universal service to contributing
entities and their subscribers.
(c) The commission shall investigate reducing the level of
universal service rate support, or elimination of universal service
rate support in service areas with demonstrated competition.
(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends
that date.