Farm Bureau Engages on Telecommunications and Rural Connectivity Issues
Published Friday, June 5, 2026
California Farm Bureau continues to engage on ACA 9, a proposed constitutional amendment that would significantly limit California Public Utilities Commission jurisdiction over telecommunications matters, including transitions of landlines to other technologies currently being addressed at the CPUC. Farm Bureau has raised concerns about how these changes could impact rural communities and access to reliable, affordable communications infrastructure. The ACA also proposes that four commissioners be added to the CPUC, two each appointed by the state Senate and Assembly. In addition, the ACA would eliminate the CPUC’s rulemaking authority that governs matters such as ex parte rules and vegetation management requirements around electrical infrastructure. Separately, AT&T has filed federal court litigation that contends a Federal Communications Commission decision has pre-empted the CPUC authority over telecommunications. At the same time, some customers may be receiving notices from AT&T related to the company’s efforts to step back from its Carrier of Last Resort, or COLR, obligations. However, such efforts are dependent upon further FCC actions. AT&T has aggressively pursued changes to the COLR requirements outside of the CPUC, which has consistently provided proposals that protect consumers. Farm Bureau remains actively engaged on these issues, given their potential impacts on rural connectivity and emergency communications.
Staff contacts: Abby Carlson, acarlson@cfbf.com, and Karen Norene Mills, kmills@cfbf.com.
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