A Win, Action Needed, and Join Us in May
It’s Women’s History Month and at Digital Equity LA we’re:
Uplifting the extraordinary and inspiring women at the heart of our work as a coalition to advance justice and equity.
Celebrating our hard fought wins, and ramping up our collective power building chops for the battles ahead.
Getting smart about California franchise law (again) and better ways to map digital inequities (always).
Our monthly Digital Equity LA coalition meetings are now open to all community partners and allies (note: this is not a space open to industry representatives). Join us the last Wednesday of every month for information, updates, and planning. RSVP here.
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1. Action Opportunity: Stand Up for Equal Access, Transparency, and Oversight on Cable Broadband
Sign on to the AB41 coalition support letter
AB41, Authored by Assembly Member Chris Holden, the Digital Equity in Video Franchising Act of 2023 (DEVFA) advances long overdue reforms to California franchise law, known as DIVCA.
DIVCA, passed in 2006 and only nominally reformed in the 17 years since, has fallen short of all three of its goals:
There is less competition in the broadband market than there was a decade ago
Prices for broadband have remained steady or increased
Hundreds of thousands of Californians remain stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide.
DEFVA makes three critical fixes:
Establishes equal access as CA law, and adds anti discrimination provisions.
Directs the CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to establish minimum service standards franchise holders must meet, along with a customer complaint process.
Establishes a robust renewal process that includes mechanisms for public input.
See the AB41 fact sheet for full details.
The 30-second version of why this matters:
Cable companies and broadband providers are one and the same: 98% of broadband subscriptions in the state are through cable companies.
Cable companies acknowledged this reality earlier this month when they changed the name of their lobbying association from the California Cable Television Association (CCTA, or CalCable) to CalBroadband.
For most California communities, cable = broadband, so reforming the law driving how cable companies operate to require equal access, ban discrimination, and establish an open and transparent process for them to get their licenses to operate is a critical step toward digital equity.
Action Items:
Share the sign-on letter link with your networks!
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2. WINNING on the CPUC’s Priority Areas Maps
For the last two months, Digital Equity LA has joined forces with partners and allies around the state to raise the flag about the CPUC’s flawed “priority areas map” that would have directed public investments in broadband to communities that least need the help, and away from those with the highest levels of need. (Read last month’s newsletter for a reminder/primer of the issue.)
Thanks to coordinated collective action, we can happily report a huge win!
The CPUC has responded to all of equity advocates’ requests and:
Taken down the priority areas map.
Will release a new “eligibility” map at the end of this month with updated unserved location data AND data about disadvantaged communities.
Will award points on funding applications for serving disadvantaged communities.
Our work on mapping isn’t done - stay tuned for our next collective action opportunity on this - but this is a significant win. High fives, hugs, and happy dances all around!
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3. SAVE THE DATE: May 4th DELA City and County of Los Angeles Advocacy Day
Do you live or work in the City or County of Los Angeles? Join us for the first ever Digital Equity LA local advocacy day! Many more details to come, and one action item for now:
Save the date and RSVP for the DELA Advocacy Day in Los Angeles here!