Committee backs bill to create state Office of Broadband and Digital Equity

Chair Sasha Burner presented AB 22 89, proposing a new Office of Broadband and Digital Equity to consolidate broadband programs currently split between the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Department of Technology. The bill would establish an 11-member commission and, beginning July 1, 2028, consolidate initiatives to improve public participation, reduce funding and project delays, and address interagency coordination.

Ignacio Hernandez, representing TURN (The Utility Reform Network) and the Communication Workers of America District 9, testified in respectful opposition. He said TURN and CWA share the bill's goals but are concerned that removing certain regulatory oversight from the CPUC could create enforcement gaps and leave "stranded regulations" without clear enforcement mechanisms.

Members discussed the balance between creating a direct public voice in broadband governance and preserving regulatory enforcement. Lowenthal moved and Krell seconded a do-pass recommendation; the committee voted to refer AB 22 89 to Appropriations and left the roll open for missing members.