2013 -- H 6236

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LC02748

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO BE KNOWN AS THE

"BROADBAND POLICY ADVISORY BOARD"

     Introduced By: Representatives Finn, Edwards, Kazarian, Marcello, and Kennedy

     Date Introduced: June 13, 2013

     Referred To: House Corporations

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     WHEREAS, Broadband, also known as the high-speed internet, has become

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indispensible to the flow of commerce, communications, government services, and public safety,

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and for gathering and exchanging information from infinite sources on every subject; and

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     WHEREAS, Access to the internet has become as essential to full participation in daily

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life as electricity and telephone service; and

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     WHEREAS, Rhode Island is currently recognized as having the best broadband

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infrastructure speed and coverage in the nation and we have the ability to connect almost every

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citizen and business to high-speed Internet; and

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     WHEREAS, The Federal Government authored the comprehensive National Broadband

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Plan that validates high-speed broadband Internet as a major driver of economic development in

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the 21st century; and

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     WHEREAS, The Federal Government and other organizations across the nation are

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making investments in broadband infrastructure and programs to promote digital literacy and

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broadband adoption; and

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     WHEREAS, Over 41 out of 50 states have established such recognized advisory councils

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to address these issues in their states; and

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     WHEREAS, Many United States cities and towns are also evaluating and implementing

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the next generation of broadband technology known as Gigabit Networks which would quickly

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surpass current technologies, thrusting them into the forefront of economic development and

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education opportunities; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission to be known as the Broadband Policy

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and Advisory Board be and the same is hereby created consisting of sixteen (16) members: one of

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whom shall be a member of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of

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whom shall be a member of the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of

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whom shall be the Chair of the Rhode Island Board of Education, or designee; one of whom shall

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be the Commissioner for the Office of Energy Resources, or designee; one of whom shall be the

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Rhode Island Secretary of State, or designee; one of whom shall be the Colonel of the State

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Police, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Labor

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and Training, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of

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Health, or designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Attorney General, or designee; one of

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whom shall be the Chairman of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation; one of

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whom shall be the Director of Broadband RI, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive

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Director of the Rhode Island Library Association, or designee; and four (4) of whom shall be

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representatives of the state's broadband industry, two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the

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Speaker of the House, and two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the President of the Senate.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

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is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said Board is to begin by leveraging resources of the current federally-

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funded Broadband RI initiative along with development of a comprehensive strategic plan,

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including specific action steps and identified responsible parties for said action steps. The plan

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would include, but not be limited to: Creating a sustainable coordinating effort between the public

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and private sectors to maximize economic development opportunities for businesses and citizens

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through Rhode Island's competitive position of broadband access and utilization; Investigating,

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reviewing, and reporting on various federal and private funding sources available for Rhode

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Island in enhancing broadband access and utilization; Reviewing potential public policy

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initiatives, policies, and programs, including best practices, to advance Rhode Island's use of

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broadband for economic, cultural, and social advancement; Reviewing current and pending

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legislative, regulatory, and administrative actions to determine and advise on their impact on

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Rhode Island's broadband strategies; Recommending e-government strategies for Rhode Island to

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enhance the delivery and implementation of government strategies in the state.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House and organize. The President

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of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall each select one member to serve as co-

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chairpersons of the commission.

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     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

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suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report preliminary findings and results to the

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General Assembly on or before February 4, 2014, and said commission shall expire on January 6,

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2015.

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LC02748

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO BE KNOWN AS THE

"BROADBAND POLICY ADVISORY BOARD"

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     This resolution would create a sixteen (16) member special legislative commission to be

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known as the Broadband Policy and Advisory Board and whose purpose would be to make a

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comprehensive study of methods and avenues to pursue that would support and aid the

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development of broadband opportunities and benefits, and who would report preliminary findings

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to the General Assembly on or before February 4, 2014, and said commission would expire on

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January 6, 2015.

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LC02748

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