CSAC Bulletin Article

Make Your Voice Heard! Broadband Public Comment Opportunities and Workshops

May 4, 2023 Kalyn Dean

May 4, 2024

CPUC Comment Period on Order Instituting Rulemaking Extended until May 8, 2023

On March 1, 2023, The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) released an order instituting rulemaking for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, being implemented in California by the CPUC. The deadline for the comment period was extended from May 1 to May 8.

Nationally, BEAD provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs in all 50 states and other specified territories. California will be allocated a specific amount under BEAD.

The preliminary scope of issues in the proceeding is set forth here (see pages 4-8), in accordance with the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (Rules), Rule 7.1(d). In general, the purpose of this proceeding is to develop procedures, rules, and orders necessary to fulfilling the duties and responsibilities assigned to the Commission by Governor Newsom. Many of the rules for the BEAD Program, which the Commission would administer as a grantee, are already in place, either in statute or the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity issued by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in May 2022. The issues this proceeding would address include developing rules, where the Commission has discretion, that would apply to the subgrantees to whom the Commission would award BEAD funding.

You can make your voice heard in the BEAD proceeding, and read the comments of others, on the online Docket Card comment section at apps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/R2302016.

Broadband for All, Digital Equity, and BEAD Planning Regional-Local Workshops

The CPUC and the California Department of Technology (CDT) are partnering with local-regional organizations and other state entities to host several Broadband for All, Digital Equity, and BEAD Planning Regional-Local Workshops throughout the state. At the event, attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about planning for these programs, provide feedback on how to make them effective for closing the digital divide, and connect with others who are passionate about digital equity in California. For more information, see the Broadband for All Factsheet in English and Spanish.

Check-out when in-person events are happening in your region, and register here as events are confirmed. See the flyer here.

When	Community	Location	More Information
May 5, 2023 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.	San Jose	Santa Clara County Office of Education, Ridder Park Site 1290 Ridder Park Dr, San Jose, CA 95131	Click Here
May 11, 2023 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.	Sacramento	Sacramento Central Library 828 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814	Click Here
May 12, 2023 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.	Grass Valley	Grass Valley Veterans Memorial Building 255 S Auburn St, Grass Valley, CA 95945	Click Here
May 16, 2023 12:30 – 6 p.m.	San Bernardino	CSU San Bernardino 5500 University Pkwy, San Bernardino, CA 92407	Click Here
May 19, 2023 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Los Angeles	LA Trade Tech Campus 400 W Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90015	Click Here
May 20, 2023 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Long Beach	Veterans Park Social Hall 101 East 28th Street, Long Beach, CA 90806	Click Here
May 24, 2023 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.	Santa Ana	Orange County Administration South Building 601 North Ross Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701	Click Here
May 30, 2023 Noon – 5 p.m.	Tuolumne	Tuolumne County Resiliency Center 18241 Bay Avenue, Tuolumne, CA 95379	Click Here
June 1, 2023 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Santa Maria	Hancock College 800 S College Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93454	Click Here
June 2, 2023 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Seaside	CSU Monterey Bay, Student Center 4314 6th Avenue, Seaside, CA 93955	Click Here
June 8, 2023 Noon – 4:30 p.m.	Oakland	Oakstop – California Ballroom 1736 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94612	Click Here