Policy & Advocacy
Part of NBNCBC’s mission is to advocate for the universal availability of reliable and affordable broadband, digital equity and digital inclusion, and other important telecommunications issues that affect our residents and businesses.
NBNCBC Advocacy Letters
AB 470: Telephone corporations: carriers of last resort.SB 716: Lifeline program: broadband internet access service.NBNCBC Legislative Platform
NBNCBC State & Federal Legislative Priorities
Legislation Tracker
Updated 9/22/2025
| Bill | Title | Summary | Sponsor | Status | Last Action Date | Last Action | Support / Oppose | Bill Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB2610 | A bill to terminate the Community Connect Grant program of the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes. | A bill to terminate the Community Connect Grant program of the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes. | Ernst - R - IA | Introduced on July 31 2025 - 25% progression | 7/31/2025 | Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. | Oppose | view |
| SB1651 | Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025 | To expand the contribution base of the FCC's Universal Service Fund to include "edge providers" such as large search engines, streaming services and large social media platforms. | Mullin - R - OK Kelly - D - AZ Crapo - R - ID Cramer - R - ND | Introduced on May 7 2025 - 25% progression | 5/7/2025 | Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. | Support | view |
| HB4032 | Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025 | To expand the contribution base of the FCC's Universal Service Fund to include "edge providers" such as large search engines, streaming services and large social media platforms. | Feenstra - R -IA4 Fernandez - D - NM3 Mann - R - KS1 Rogers - R - KY5 | Introduced on June 17 2025 - 25% progression | 6/17/2025 | Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. | Support | view |
| HB1870 | SPEED for BEAD Act | - Permits grantees to not construct in areas they deem unprofitable - Eliminates fiber technology preference - Eliminates prevailing wage requirement - Eliminates affordability requirements | Hudson - R - NC | Introduced on March 5 2025 - 25% progression | 3/5/2025 | Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. | Oppose | view |
| SB98 | Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025 | Requires the Federal Communications Commission to establish a vetting process for prospective applicants for high-cost universal service program funding. | Capito - R - WV Klobuchar - D - MN | Engrossed on July 3 2025 - 50% progression | 7/3/2025 | Held at the desk. | view | |
| SB2253 | Unsubscribe Act of 2025 | Bill would require companies to be more transparent about their subscription-based business models and make it easier for consumers to cancel their subscriptions once their free or reduced-price trial period has ended | Schatz - D - HI Kennedy - R - LA | Introduced July 10, 2025 - 25% progression | 7/10/2025 | Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. | Support | view |
| HB1618 | Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act | Requires tha FCC to review its rules to determine if there are changes that could be made under existing authority to promote precision agriculture and develop recommendations. | Latta - R - OH5 Kelly - D - IL2 Houchin - R - IN9 | Engrossed on July 15 2025 - 50% progression | 7/15/2025 | Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. | view | |
| HB1770 | AI for Consumer Product Safety Act Digital Taxonomy Act Blockchain Innovation Act | Directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to explore the use of AI and directs the Commerce Dept. and Federal Trade Commission to study the use of blockchain technology. | Soto - D - FL9 Castor - D - FL14 Trahan - D - MA3 Houchin - R - IN9 | Engrossed on July 15 2025 - 50% progression | 7/15/2025 | Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. | view | |
| HB5037 | Middle Mile for Rural America Act | Extends the NTIA's Middle Mile Grant program until 2031. | Feenstra - R - IA4 Riley - D - NY19 Moore - R - AL1 | Introduced on August 26 2025 - 25% progression | 8/26/2025 | Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Committee for Energy and Commerce | view | |
Updated 10/21/2025
| Bill | Title | Summary | Sponsor | Status | Last Action Date | Last Action | Support / Oppose | Bill Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB364 | Stop Foreign Governments from Accessing Californians' Sensitive Personal Information Act | This bill would require a business to disclose to a consumer if the business intends to maintain the consumer’s personal information outside of the United States. | DeMaio - R - 75 | Introduced on February 3 2025 - 25% progression | 3/25/2025 | In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. | view | |
| AB693 | Broadband: state oversight. | This bill would create the Broadband and Digital Equity Commission with specified membership, and would, on July 1, 2027, repeal the California Broadband Council and establish the members of the council as a committee of the commission, as specified. The new commission would take over the management of the CASF grant program from the CPUC. | Boerner - D - 77 | Introduced on February 14 2025 - 25% progression | 5/23/2025 | In committee: Held under submission. | view | |
| AB1414 | Landlord-tenant: internet service provider subscriptions. | This bill would require a landlord to provide the tenant with the option to opt out of any subscription from a third-party internet service provider for specified services. If the landlord violates this provision, the bill would authorize the tenant to deduct the cost of the subscription from the rent. | Ransom - D - 13 | Passed on October 10 2025 - 100% progression | 10/10/2025 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 506, Statutes of 2025. | view | |
| AB688 | Telehealth for All Act of 2025. | Requires the State Department of Healthcare services to use Medi-Cal data to produce analyses in a publicly available Medi-Cal telehealth utilization report. | Gonzalez - D - HD54 | Passed on October 7 2025 - 100% progression | 10/7/2025 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 437, Statutes of 2025. | view | |
| SB716 | Lifeline program: broadband internet access service. | This bill would require the commission, as part of a new or existing proceeding, to establish a mechanism to include standalone broadband internet access service as a class of lifeline service. The bill would provide that an internet service plan provider would be eligible for a lifeline subsidy if it offers at least one internet service plan that provides broadband internet access service at a speed of at least 100 megabits per second downstream and 20 megabits per second upstream and costs $30 or less per month The bill would prohibit the commission from increasing the surcharge for the lifeline program above the highest rate collected within the previous 4 years, as of January 1, 2026. This law will sunset on 1/1/2032 | Durazo - D - 26 | Engrossed on June 4 2025 - 50% progression | 9/11/2025 | Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry. | Support | view |
| AB470 | Telephone corporations: carriers of last resort. | This bill would: - Require the PUC to adopt a process through which a carrier of last resort may seek relief from their obligations in a census block where the United States Census Bureau reports no population and where the telco provides no basic exchange service to any customer, or in a census block that is already well-served. - Require the PUC to develop a map of well-served areas - Require the PUC to include notice and challenge requirements in the process for COLR relief - Create and appropriate money for the Public Safety Technology Upgrade Grant Fund for public safety agencies. | McKinnor - D - 61 | Engrossed on June 27 2025 - 50% progression | 8/29/2025 | In committee: Held under submission. | Oppose | view |
| AB353 | Communications: broadband internet service providers: affordable home internet. | This bill would require every California internet service provider, except as specified, to offer affordable home internet service that meets minimum speed requirements. The bill would also require every California internet service provider to make commercially reasonable efforts to promote and advertise the availability of affordable home internet service for eligible households, as provided. This bill would, starting January 1, 2027, require California internet service providers to annually provide a report to the Department of Technology with specified information related to their affordable home internet service plans and broadband products. This bill would provide that the Public Utilities Commission has no jurisdiction or regulatory authority and administrative or oversight responsibilities are to be carried out exclusively by the Department of Technology. This bill would make its provisions inoperative upon the implementation of a federal or state broadband subscription subsidy program for low income households that meets specified criteria. | Boerner - D - 77 | Engrossed on June 4 2025 - 50% progression | 7/14/2025 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E., U & C. Hearing canceled at the request of the author. | view | |