CPUC May Deny CalBroadband Public Housing Petition

The California Public Utilities Commission may vote Aug. 31 on a proposal to deny a California Broadband and Video Association petition to modify a resolution on public housing, the CPUC said Friday. The state cable association raised concerns in March with a December CPUC resolution awarding $1.4 million in California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) broadband public housing account (BPHA) grants to 19 projects. While not seeking to overturn the award, CalBroadband asked the CPUC to remove language saying broadband services that are free due to ACP or other subsidies don't count as free services for purposes of determining if an application is eligible for funding (See 2303220053). The CPUC’s proposed resolution T-17796 would deny the CalBroadband petition since it “raises no new or changed facts,” and the commission addressed its issues in previous decisions, the CPUC said. “To the extent CalBroadband raises a new policy argument, a petition for modification is not the proper vehicle to raise it,” it said. “The Commission has consistently held that a petition for modification is not a second bite at the apple: it will not consider issues which are simply re-litigation of issues that it has already considered.” Consumer advocates urged CPUC denial. CalBroadband didn’t comment Monday.