(a)
There is hereby created the California High-Cost Fund-A Administrative Committee, which is an advisory board to advise the commission regarding the development, implementation, and administration of a program to provide for transfer payments to small independent telephone corporations providing local exchange services in high-cost rural and small metropolitan areas in the state to create fair and equitable local rate structures, as provided for in Section 275.6, and to carry out the program pursuant to the commission’s direction, control, and approval.
(b)
All revenues collected through surcharges authorized by the commission to fund the program specified in subdivision (a) shall
be submitted to the commission pursuant to a schedule established by the commission. The commission shall transfer the moneys received to the Controller for deposit in the California High-Cost Fund-A Administrative Committee Fund. All interest earned by moneys in the fund shall be deposited in the fund.
(c)
Moneys appropriated from the California High-Cost Fund-A Administrative Committee Fund to the commission shall be utilized exclusively by the commission for the program specified in subdivision (a), including all costs of the board and the commission associated with the administration and oversight of the program and the fund.
(d)
The Legislature finds and declares that, because maintenance of universal public switched telephone network service throughout the state and maintenance of public safety answering points in high-cost areas of the state rely on appropriations from the
California High-Cost Fund-A Administrative Committee Fund, maintaining adequate funding levels for the fund is critical to public health and safety.