The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) has adopted an Order, exercising its authority to: (1) revoke the exemption that enabled the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to opt out of the use of the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) for the federal Lifeline program; and (2) adjust the federal Lifeline National Eligibility Verifier (National Verifier) processes in California to end reliance on California state eligibility results for enrollment in the federal Lifeline program. The Bureau argues that a recently-passed California law has made it effectively impossible for the CPUC to comply with Lifeline operations and program integrity obligations placed on opt-out states. Moving forward, the standard National Verifier process will be used to conduct eligibility verifications and the NLAD will perform duplicate checks for federal Lifeline program applicants in California.
