California’s Affordable Broadband Bill Dead for 2025

Low-income Californians won’t be paying $15-a-month for internet pursuant to state law, at least not in 2025. The California Affordable Home Internet Act, a bill introduced in January 2025 by Assembly Member Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas), closely resembled New York’s 2021 Affordable Broadband Act. Both bills required Internet Service Providers to offer $15-per-month broadband plans to low-income households participating in public assistance programs, though speed requirements differed. But unlike New York’s law, which made it through the courts, California’s Affordable Broadband Bill officially died at the state level. Assemblymember Boerner said that the bill is no longer moving forward and blamed its failure on the Trump administration’s June 6 changes to the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. She said discussions with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration revealed to her that California ISPs applying for a BEAD grant would be able to exempt themselves from the bill.  “So, I made the very difficult decision to hold my bill in committee,” Assemblymember Boerner said.