California Public Utilities Code § 5371.6

Public Utilities Code
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(a) The Legislature finds and declares that advertising and use of telephone service is essential for charter-party carriers of passengers to obtain business and to conduct intrastate passenger transportation services. Unlawful advertisements by unlicensed charter-party carriers of passengers has resulted in properly licensed and regulated charter-party carriers of passengers competing with unlicensed charter-party carriers of passengers using unfair business practices. Unlicensed charter-party carriers of passengers have also exposed citizens of the state to unscrupulous persons who portray themselves as properly licensed, qualified, and insured charter-party carriers of passengers. Many of these unlicensed charter-party carriers of passengers have been found to have operated their vehicles without insurance or in an unsafe manner, placing the citizens of the state at risk. (b) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that the termination of telephone service utilized by unlicensed charter-party carriers of passengers is essential to ensure the public safety and welfare. Therefore, the commission should take enforcement action as specified in this section to disconnect telephone service of unlicensed charter-party carriers of passengers who unlawfully advertise passenger transportation services in yellow page directories and other publications. The enforcement actions provided for by this section are consistent with the decision of the California Supreme Court in Goldin v. Public Utilities Commission (1979) 23 Cal.3d 638. (2) For purposes of this section, a telephone corporation or telegraph corporation, or a corporation that holds a controlling interest in the telephone or telegraph corporation, or any business that is a subsidiary or affiliate of the telephone or telegraph corporation, that has the name and address of the subscriber to a telephone number being used by an unlicensed charter-party carrier of passengers shall provide the commission, or an authorized officer or employee of the commission, upon demand, and the order of a magistrate, access to this information. A magistrate may only issue an order, for the purposes of this subdivision, if the magistrate has made the findings required by subdivision (c). (c) A telephone or telegraph corporation shall refuse telephone service to a new subscriber and shall disconnect telephone service of an existing subscriber only after it is shown that other available enforcement remedies of the commission have failed to terminate unlawful activities detrimental to the public welfare and safety, and upon receipt from any authorized officer or employee of the commission of a writing, signed by a magistrate, as defined by Sections 807 and 808 of the Penal Code, finding that probable cause exists to believe that the subscriber is advertising or holding out to the public to perform, or is performing, charter-party carrier of passengers transportation services without having in force a permit or certificate issued by the commission authorizing those services, or that the telephone service otherwise is being used or is to be used as an instrumentality, directly or indirectly, to violate or to assist in violation of the laws requiring a charter-party carrier of passengers permit or certificate. Included in the writing of the magistrate shall be a finding that there is probable cause to believe that the subject telephone facilities have been or are to be used in the commission or facilitation of holding out to the public to perform, or in performing, charter-party carrier of passengers transportation services without having in force a permit or certificate issued by the commission authorizing those services, and that, absent immediate and summary action, a danger to public welfare or safety will result. (d) Any person aggrieved by any action taken pursuant to this section shall have the right to file a complaint with the commission and may include therein a request for interim relief. The c

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