Today’s Regulatory Mix: California Extends Deadline for public Purpose Program Funding Data Request,  Infrastructure Bill Passes Another Procedural Hurdle,  Oregon PUC to Consider Increasing Monthly Lifeline Support 

California Extends Deadline for public Purpose Program Funding Data Request 

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has granted a two-week extension to its data request for subscriber and revenue information. The data request deadline has been extended from July 28th to August 13th, 2021. 

Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 7/29/21 

CPUC office

Infrastructure Bill Passes Another Procedural Hurdle 

The Senate voted Friday to begin debate on a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure bipartisan infrastructure package, working through the weekend on the final text of the bill.  Finishing late Sunday, Senators can now begin the amendment process and move to final passage. “My hope is we’ll finish the bill by the end of the week,” Senator Susan Collins (R., Maine), one of the 10 senators who negotiated the framework of the agreement with the White House, said.  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York added he believed the Senate could push the bill through in a matter of days given its bipartisan support.   

Oregon PUC to Consider Increasing Monthly Lifeline Support 

The Public Utility Commission (PUC) issued an Order (Docket AR646) adopting staff’s recommendations to open a permanent rulemaking docket to consider revisions to the Oregon Telephone Assistance Program (OTAP) benefit amount. The OTAP currently provides $7 of state Lifeline support from the Residential Service Protection Fund (RSPF) per month. This is in addition to the maximum support of $9.25 available from the federal Universal Service Fund for voice service or broadband Internet access service or both. Earlier in the year, HB 50323 was passed into law permitting the PUC, to adjust the OTAP discount from $3.50 to $10.  

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.