Article 9. Telephone Prepaid Debit Cards of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 1. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 9.

(a) Any entity offering the services of telephone prepaid debit cards is subject to the registration requirements of Section 1013, commencing January 1, 1999, unless that entity is certificated by the commission to provide telephone service. An entity subject to this requirement includes any of the following:
  (1) An entity that is an underlying interexchange carrier and offers and administers the services of telephone prepaid debit cards.
  (2) An entity that purchases bulk time from an underlying interexchange carrier and thereby offers and administers the services of telephone prepaid debit cards (that is, the entity repackages and resells the time as prepaid debit cards).
  (b) Resellers of telephone prepaid debit cards who do not engage in any of the activities described in subdivision (a) are not subject to the registration requirement imposed by subdivision (a). Resellers that are not subject to the registration requirement imposed by subdivision (a) include both of the following:
  (1) Retailers who only provide a marketing venue for telephone prepaid debit cards.
  (2) Entities that only print information on telephone prepaid debit cards.
  (c) Telephone prepaid debit cards offered in a promotional manner or gratis shall not subject the provider to the registration requirement imposed by subdivision (a), unless the cards are issued in conjunction with the sale of related goods or services.
  (d) The commission shall maintain a list of certificated interexchange carriers and shall supply that information upon request.

Entities that are required to register, but have failed to do so, or entities that are denied registration by the commission, shall not offer the services of telephone prepaid debit cards. Entities that are required to register, but have failed to do so, and entities denied registration that offer telephone prepaid debit cards shall be subject to fines or other sanctions that may be ordered by the commission.

The commission may enforce the standards and requirements of Section 17538.9 of the Business and Professions Code.