Senate Bill (SB) 740 was voted out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee today and will be eligible to be considered on the full Assembly Floor next week, according to Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce staff. SB740 proposes to add $90 million to the existing California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) and expand eligibility beyond telephone corporations and wireless companies. It requires a two-thirds vote to move forward.
Meanwhile, another broadband bill, Assembly Bill (AB) 1299 was voted out of the Senate Appropriations Committee today and will be eligible to be considered next week also. This bill authorizes the CPUC to award CASF grants "to encourage deployment and adoption of high–quality advanced communications services" for those who reside in publicly supported housing communities in urban regions. AB1299 relied on SB740 for funding. This bill requires a majority vote only.
