Proposed Rulemaking Would Update Calif. COLR Rules

The California Public Utilities Commission could collect feedback this fall on whether to revise its carrier of last resort (COLR) rules, according to a proposed decision released Monday. The CPUC plans a June 20 vote on opening a rulemaking to weigh possible changes to COLR rules, along with a related item that would deny COLR relief to AT&T (see 2406050016 and 2405310029), a meeting agenda also posted Monday said. “In general, the purpose of this proceeding is to consider whether the Commission should revise its COLR rules and, if yes, what those revisions should be,” the CPUC draft said. The proposed rulemaking would adopt “a rebuttable presumption that the COLR construct remains necessary, at least for certain individuals or communities in California,” it said. Among other questions, the CPUC would ask if there are areas that may no longer require a COLR, if it should require VoIP or wireless providers to be COLRs, and if it should revise rules on how current COLRs may shed those obligations. If approved by the California commissioners, comments would be due Sept. 30, replies Oct. 30.