AB 2289: Public utilities: Public Utilities Commission: telecommunications: broadband internet access service.

This bill would require the governor to appoint a diverse composition of commission members when selecting members for the Public Utilities Commission. The commission's authority to establish its own procedures and commissioner powers would be recodified as a statutory provision, subject to voter approval. The bill would define a corporation providing telecommunications service as a public utility subject to commission jurisdiction. The definition of "telephone line" would be revised to restrict items to those in connection with or to facilitate voice communication by telephone. Violations of the public utilities act or commission orders would remain a crime, but this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.