California could take a nod from New York to mandate affordable internet

California is getting closer to mandating low-cost broadband internet options, mirroring New York, whose law went into effect earlier this year.

A California state Assembly bill heading for its first hearing next week would require every internet service provider to offer broadband plans at no more than $15 for residents using qualifying public assistance programs.

Known as AB 353, the move aims to make high-speed internet more affordable to the 3.5 million Californians who currently go without.

The affordability movement

Democratic Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, who introduced the bill, says California needs it because some households don’t have enough money to pay for a basic home internet plan.

“We are talking about kids not being able to do homework at home, parents having to go to libraries to apply for jobs, and people not having access to do basic things, like telehealth,” Boerner said.

New York’s state bill mandating $15 plans went into effect earlier this year after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld New York’s right to regulate broadband prices.

That decision gave other states the legal backing to try the effort at home — and it’s progressed fast. Aside from California, lawmakers in Massachusetts and Vermont have already introduced bills to regulate affordable prices in the last few months. And others could follow suit — more than 20 states signed onto an amicus brief in support of the law when it was being challenged.

California’s attempt at affordable home internet

Boerner’s bill focuses on helping especially vulnerable residents. AB 353 would require the $15 plans be available to any household with at least one person who participates in a qualified public assistance program, such as CalFresh or Medi-Cal.

The plans must have the federal minimum standard for broadband speeds — at least 100 megabits per second for download and 20 megabits per second for upload. At that speed, users can typically do streaming, video calls and online gaming.

More affordable plans are sometimes accessible, such as through government subsidies or discounts, but a lower $15 rate from major providers could open up high-speed access to a wider range of people. Many affordable plans in the state currently start at $30 a month or have slower speeds.

The state’s Public Advocates Office, an independent entity that advocates for consumers at the California Public Utilities Commission, said in a report the option could save residents with very low income nearly $100 million a year, while potentially reducing top providers’ revenue by less than 1%. However, the broadband policy will need to be updated with higher minimum speeds in the future as internet demands grow.

AB 353 needs a majority vote to pass the legislature, but will start in the Committee on Communications and Conveyance. The hearing will be livestreamed on the Assembly’s website on April 30 at 1:30 p.m.