2022 -- S 2883 SUBSTITUTE A | |
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LC005824/SUB A | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND | |
BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM | |
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Introduced By: Senator James Arthur Seveney | |
Date Introduced: April 15, 2022 | |
Referred To: Senate Commerce | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND |
2 | GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
3 | CHAPTER 162 |
4 | THE RHODE ISLAND BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM |
5 | 42-162-1. Definitions. |
6 | As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings: |
7 | (1) "Broadband advisory council" or "council" means the broadband advisory council |
8 | established pursuant to the provisions of § 42-162-3. |
9 | (2) "Broadband director" or "director" means the broadband coordinator designated |
10 | pursuant to the provisions of § 42-162-2. |
11 | (3) "Broadband service" means any wireline or fixed wireless technology having the |
12 | capacity to transmit data from or to the Internet at minimum speeds of at least one hundred (100) |
13 | megabits per second downstream and twenty (20) megabits per second upstream. |
14 | (4) "Digital literacy" means the ability to use information and communication technologies |
15 | to find, evaluate, create and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills; |
16 | (5) "IIJA" means the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Pub. L. No. 117-58 |
17 | (2021) relating to broadband found at Division F, Title I. |
18 | (6) "Unserved" means a geographic location of the state in which there is no provider of |
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1 | broadband Internet service that offers dedicated Internet access with a capacity for transmission at |
2 | a consistent speed of at least twenty-five (25) megabits per second downstream and at least three |
3 | (3) megabits per second upstream. |
4 | (7) "Underserved" means a geographic location of the state in which there is no provider |
5 | of broadband Internet service that offers dedicated Internet access with a capacity for transmission |
6 | at a consistent speed of at least one hundred (100) megabits per second downstream and at least |
7 | twenty (20) megabits per second upstream. |
8 | 42-162-2. Broadband director. |
9 | An employee of the commerce corporation shall be designated by the secretary of |
10 | commerce as the broadband director. The broadband director shall be responsible for connecting |
11 | and communicating with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration |
12 | (NTIA) and other federal agencies, as appropriate, to access federal funds for broadband |
13 | infrastructure deployment solely pursuant to the IIJA, facilitating broadband service adoption, |
14 | expanding digital literacy for residents experiencing economic hardship, and for future economic |
15 | development. The broadband director shall meet no less than quarterly with the broadband council. |
16 | The broadband director shall perform such other duties as assigned by the secretary of commerce. |
17 | 42-162-3. Broadband advisory council established. |
18 | (a) There is hereby established a broadband advisory council for the purpose of performing |
19 | the duties enunciated in § 42-162-4. |
20 | (b) The council shall consist of the following nine (9) members: |
21 | (1) Rhode Island emergency management agency director, or designee. |
22 | (2) Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns executive director, or designee. |
23 | (3) A representative of the Boys and Girls Clubs appointed by the senate president. |
24 | (4) Rhode Island infrastructure bank executive director, or designee. |
25 | (5) Providence chamber of commerce president, or designee. |
26 | (6) A member of an organization representing disadvantaged communities, appointed by |
27 | the speaker of the house. |
28 | (7) A telecommunications expert appointed by the governor. |
29 | (8) A telecommunications expert appointed by the senate president. |
30 | (9) A telecommunications expert appointed by the speaker of the house. |
31 | (c) Members of the council shall designate a chairperson. |
32 | (d) Members of the council shall serve without compensation. |
33 | (e) Vacancies shall be appointed in the same manner as the original appointment. |
34 | 42-162-4. Duties and powers of broadband advisory council. |
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1 | (a) The council in the performance of its duties, shall do all the following: |
2 | (1) Advise the broadband director and develop a strategic plan that addresses the objectives |
3 | enumerated in § 42-162-2. The plan shall include recommendations for federal funds to be used to: |
4 | (i) Facilitate targeted high-speed broadband infrastructure projects consistent with |
5 | requirements set forth in the IIJA through competitive requests for proposals that requires the |
6 | winning bidder to contribute not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of project costs; provided |
7 | further, for any federal funds from the IIJA used for broadband infrastructure projects, the council |
8 | and the commerce corporation shall establish a challenge process, with reasonable timelines, |
9 | through which information may be provided to the state to challenge a determination as to whether |
10 | a particular location is eligible for grant funds under the IIJA; |
11 | (ii) Provide subsidized computing devices, Internet service plan support, including in-home |
12 | equipment, and digital literacy services to targeted populations experiencing economic hardship |
13 | including, but not limited to, persons eligible for the temporary assistance for needy families |
14 | program, the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program, the federal communications |
15 | commission's affordable connectivity program, the federal communications commission's lifeline |
16 | program, and those whose household includes a child who is eligible for free or reduced price |
17 | lunch; |
18 | (iii) Provide information and advice to increase education, awareness, training, access, |
19 | equipment, and support about available broadband adoption programs to libraries, schools, colleges |
20 | and universities, health care providers, and community support organizations; and |
21 | (iv) In consultation with the governor's workforce board, develop a statewide curriculum |
22 | for advanced digital skills training to establish a talent pipeline matching job seekers and |
23 | historically underrepresented populations and Rhode Island employers. |
24 | (b) The council shall work in collaboration with the commerce corporation and other quasi- |
25 | public and nonprofit entities and state agencies, as appropriate, and may provide advisory assistance |
26 | for the purposes of addressing the objectives enumerated in § 42-162-2. |
27 | 42-162-5. Funding. |
28 | In addition to any appropriations by the state for the council to perform its duties, the |
29 | broadband director, in coordination with the broadband advisory council, shall apply for and accept |
30 | any federal funds or grants made available pursuant to the IIJA as appropriate to perform the |
31 | functions of this chapter. |
32 | 42-162-6. Administrative support to broadband advisory council. |
33 | The commerce corporation shall be responsible for providing administrative and other |
34 | support services to the council. |
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1 | 42-162-7. Meetings and reporting. |
2 | The council shall meet at least quarterly and shall report at least annually on or before |
3 | December 31 of each year to the general assembly on its findings and recommendations to include, |
4 | but not limited to, recommendations for proposed legislation to further the purposes of this chapter. |
5 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC005824/SUB A | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND | |
BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM | |
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1 | This act would establish a development program to increase and administer the adoption |
2 | of broadband services for local and statewide entities, both public and private, to be funded by the |
3 | state appropriations and federal funds. This act would also expand broadband services to unserved |
4 | and underserved areas of the state. |
5 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC005824/SUB A | |
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