Item 31 - Councilmember Requested Item Support for Assembly Bill 1303 (Valencia) – Lifeline Program: Customer Data Privacy

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CITY ATTORNEY Sonia R. Carvalho CITY MANAGER Alvaro Nuñez CITY CLERK Jennifer L. Hall 20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA - P.O. BOX 1988, M31 - SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702 TELEPHONE (714) 647-6900 - FAX (714) 647-6954 - www.santa-ana.org Councilmember-Requested Item Report DATE July 1, 2025 TOPIC Support for Assembly Bill 1303 (Valencia) – Lifeline Program: Customer Data Privacy COUNCILMEMBER-REQUESTED ITEM TITLE Discuss and consider directing the City Manager to direct city staff to bring back a Resolution for Council consideration that would SUPPORT Assembly Bill 1303 (Valencia), which strengthens privacy protections for applicants and subscribers of the California Lifeline Telephone Service Program. This bill aims to ensure that sensitive personal information is safeguarded from inappropriate disclosure to government agencies, including immigration authorities, and removes unnecessary documentation barriers that deter program participation, particularly among vulnerable, immigrant, and under served communities. DISCUSSION The California Lifeline Program provides essential, affordable communication services to low-income residents, many of whom rely on these services to maintain contact with employers, schools, doctors, family, and emergency services. In cities like Santa Ana, where a significant portion of the population includes immigrants and working-class families, access to affordable and secure phone service is not a luxury, it is a lifeline. Despite the program’s intent to increase connectivity for those in need, concerns about data sharing and immigration enforcement have created fear and distrust among potential applicants, especially those from mixed-status households. The current lack of clear privacy protections can result in eligible residents choosing not to enroll, leaving them digitally disconnected and at increased risk during emergencies. AB 1303, authored by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, addresses these concerns by reinforcing California’s commitment to data privacy and access to public benefits without fear. The bill prohibits the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the Lifeline program’s third-party administrator, and service providers from sharing, disclosing, or otherwise making accessible any information submitted by applicants or subscribers with federal government agencies, including immigration authorities, unless there is a court-ordered subpoena or judicial warrant issued by a California judge. Importantly, the bill also clarifies that while Social Security numbers (SSNs) may be requested for administrative purposes, they cannot be required as a condition of