Our Policy History

2008

• Advocated for creating 10 pilot projects that will link those living in underserved neighborhoods throughout the State with educational and vocational programs offered through the community colleges by supporting Senate Bill 1437 (Padilla).  This bill was signed into law.
  

• Advocated for the deployment of broadband facilities into unserved and underserved areas of the State by funding up to 40% of the costs of deploying broadband Internet facilities thru the California Advanced Service Fund and advocated for necessary reporting language to ensure oversight of the program by supporting Senate Bill 1193 (Padilla). Signed into law.

• Advocated for requiring a contract or agreement for telecommunications services to be provided in the language in which the contract was negotiated, and requiring the contract to clearly and conspicuously disclose the key rates, terms, and conditions of service to be provided or product to be purchased by supporting Assembly Bill 891 (De La Torre). This bill died on the Senate Floor. 
  

2006

• Advocated for affordable the connections to a high-speed Internet network for community technology programs by supporting Senate Bill 909 (Bowen) which broadens the definition of eligible services and covers 100% of the installation costs.  This bill was signed into law.

• Advocated for anti-redlining provisions in the a bill that mandates state franchising of cable and video services in California, also advocated for a mechanism to support the State’s Digital Divide Account, protection for Public, Education & Government channels, and free service to a community center for every 10,000th customer by supporting Assembly Bill 2987 (Nunez & Levine).  This bill was signed into law.

• Advocated for two grant programs that would provide: advanced telecommunication network services to community technology programs delivering supplemental education services to pupils in grades 6 through 12; and, telemedicine services for non-profit health care facilities in medically underserved areas by supporting Assembly Bill 1388 (Ridley-Thomas).  This was vetoed by the Governor.
  

2005

• Advocated for community-based technology access and training programs by supporting AB 1458 (De La Torre) to investigate lost Digital Divide Fund revenue and to generate additional revenue for the General Fund and the Digital Divide Grant Program. The bill was held in Senate Appropriations Committee.
• Advocated for the broadband affordability:
• AB 1388 (Ridley-Thomas): Increases the use of broadband by community technology programs and health clinics by covering network installation costs.
• SB 850 (Escutia): Maps where broadband currently exists so the state can invest resources in underserved communities.
• Released an issue brief on virtual education.
• Fought for the needs of low-income consumers in the SBC & AT&T and Verizon/MCI mergers.
• Held a broadband legislative briefing attended by legislative and regulatory staff, telecommunications industry representatives and community technology supporters.

2004

• Participated in broadband proceedings at the CPUC (OIR 03-04-003) to discuss the development of a statewide plan to make broadband access available for all residents. Co-hosted a roundtable with the Broadband Institute of California involving policymakers, community leaders and telecommunications representatives in the formulation of broadband access plan recommendations.
• Mobilized community members to attend five CPUC workshops to help develop the broadband access plan.
• Allocated over $18 million to the California Teleconnect Fund (SB 1276 , Bowen) to restore funding for the program. The bill was signed into law.
• Advocated for the approval of California's $21 million budget item to fund K-12 high-speed Internet services.
• Recommended to the CPUC in its VoIP investigation that funding should remain available for low-income families to afford telecommunication services.
• Organized a VoIP roundtable to develop solutions to countering the depletion of funds from universal service programs because of Internet-based services.
• Organized the third annual community technology advocacy day in Sacramento.
• Involved community technology programs in a civic demonstration based around technology access that coincided with the presidential election.

2003

• Advocated for SB 720 (Bowen) to subsidize community technology programs' access to high-speed networks by funding their "last mile" connection to a high-speed Internet network. The bill was signed into law.
• Worked with the California Public Utilities Commission on passing Resolution T-16742 , giving 50% discounts on Internet connections to community technology programs and including DSL as an eligible discounted service.
• Helped mobilize the community to restore funding for the California Teleconnect Fund through an emergency letter-writing campaign that overturned a vote to eliminate the fund. As a result, the funding for the program was saved.
• Held the second annual Sacramento advocacy day in March attended by over 100 participants.
• Interacted with the California Public Utilities Commission to begin a proceeding to develop a plan to increase broadband deployment. (OIR 03-04-003)
• Testified for AB 855 , which financed the Digital Divide Fund from a lease that allowed the deployment of wireless towers on state property.

2002

• Supported four pieces of legislation that were signed into law by the Governor:
• SB 1863 (Bowen): Made community technology programs eligible for the California Teleconnect Fund discount program and increased the discount rate to 50%.
• SB 1563 (Polanco): Ordered the state to develop a plan to increase the availability of affordable broadband infrastructure.
• SB 1478 (McPherson): Created the 21st Century Community Centers Learning program, a before- and after-school program using federal money.
• AB 1984 (Steinberg): created an after-school grant program for high school students.
• Supported AB 2501 (Diaz), which proposed to provide grants for technology workforce training programs for underserved California communities. Bill was held in Assembly Appropriations Committee.
• Advocated for AB 468 (Firebaugh) to create the Digital Divide Fund to support community technology programs through a grant program funded by assessing a fee on wireless telecommunications towers. The Governor vetoed the bill.
• Held the first ever community technology advocacy day in Sacramento in April with more than 100 participants. The event helped raised the visibility of community technology, taught participants about the legislative and advocacy processes, and established relationships between community technology users and elected officials.
• Advocated for a California e-Government Initiative that funds community technology programs by supporting their inclusion as e-Government test sites.
• Involved community technology programs in a civic demonstration program coinciding with California's election. Several sites throughout the state implemented an online curriculum showing users how to use online resources to learn about candidates and ballot initiatives, to register to vote and to make their voices heard.

2000/2001

• Advocated for AB 1440 (Diaz) to create a grant program funded through the state budget to support eligible community technology programs in underserved communities.
• Provided written comments to the California Public Utilities Commission to include Internet connection as an eligible subsidized program (OIR 01-05-046 ).
• Provided written comments to the California Department of Education to include computer related services at community-based organizations as an eligible service for funding through the 21st Century Learning Centers Grant Program
• Contributed Comments to the Final Report of the Commission on Building for the 21st Century: Invest for California's Future Prosperity and Quality of Life
• Commented on California's Strategic Five-Year Business Plan For Title I of the Workforce Investment Act.

1999

• Advocated for policies that direct community-based technology resources to underserved communities:
• SB 1634 (Bowen): proposed to establish a grant program for the creation of Internet access centers to be available to the general public throughout the state. Bill was held in Senate Appropriations.
• SB 1774 (Bowen): proposed to establish a grant program to encourage schools and public libraries to make their computer facilities available to the public on evenings and weekends. Bill was vetoed by Governor.

1998

• A Computers In Our Future Meeting at University of California Riverside results in the creation of the California Community Technology Policy Group and its mission statement.
• The Digital Divide is first discussed at a meeting with California Internet Caucus.
• Partnered with SBC to plan and execute several meetings and workshops over a two-year period.