California commission makes decision on text messages taxes

Californians don’t have to worry about having their texts taxed. The proposal has been pulled.

California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) announced it would no longer be pursuing the measure that would’ve added a surcharge to phone bills, according to a statement release by the agency via Twitter over the weekend.

The CPUC noted that if texting were a telecommunications service it would be subject to state tax under California law. “In light of the FCC’s action, assigned Commissioner Carla J. Peterman has withdrawn from the CPUC’s Jan. 10, 2019 Voting Meeting” the proposal that would’ve added the tax.

It was reported last week, state regulators were considering charging a fee for text messaging on mobile phones in order to help programs that make phone service accessible to the poor, according to a report from the Mercury News.

Written by Abelina Tavera