GET INVOLVED:
SEND LETTER OF SUPPORT SENATE EUC COMMITTEE.
READ THE CETF LETTER OF SUPPORT TO SENATE EUC COMMITTEE.
READ THE HONORABLE GWEN MOORE DECLARATION ON LIFELINE.
SUBSCRIBE TO CETF LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERTS.
California Home Internet LifeLine Act of 2025 (SB 716)
THE PROBLEM:
The federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment was frozen in February 2024 and subsidies ended in May 2024. To date, no action has been taken by Congress to extend ACP. This leaves 5.8 million California Households who were eligible for ACP without an assurance of affordable Internet Service. Almost 3 million households (2,945,281 as of March 1, 2024) of 5.8 million eligible households in California were enrolled in ACP — more families and individuals than in any other state. Yet, another 2.9 million eligible households were not reached by ACP – they were unaware that ACP existed – and remain to be enrolled in an affordable Internet service subscription. And, these 2.9 million households are among the most poor, most digitally-disadvantaged, and most economically-fragile Californians. The 2023 Statewide Digital Equity Survey revealed that “affordability” was the primary reason why low-income households are not connected to the Internet.
THE SOLUTION:
The expansion of California LifeLine to broadband Internet services is a major missing piece of State policy required to close the Digital Divide and is essential to achieve Digital Equity in California. It also is a vital backstop and back-up plan to ensure that 5.8 million low-income, digitally-disadvantaged households have access to broadband Internet at home for participation in modern life and today’s economy.
WHY IT MATTERS:
There is an urgency to act now as the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment was frozen in February 2024 and subsidies ended in May 2024. To date, no action has been taken by Congress to extend ACP, which leaves 5.8 million California households who were eligible for ACP without an assurance of affordable Internet service.