California Assembly Bill AB1012 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1012AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 5, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member V. Manuel Perez  (   Coauthor:   Assembly Member   Fuentes  )  FEBRUARY 27, 2009 An act relating to broadband services, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1012, as amended, V. Manuel Perez.  California Broadband Task Force.   Broadband communications.   Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to develop, implement, and administer the California Advanced Services Fund to provide for transfer payments to encourage deployment of high-quality advanced communications services. Existing law requires a specified commission report to include an update to the maps in the final report of the California Broadband Task Force.   Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to consider and implement rules, procedures, and strategies to ensure that all California citizens and businesses have access to the widest possible array of advanced communications services. Existing law also requires the commission to ensure cost-effective deployment of technology so as to protect ratepayers' interests and the affordability of telecommunications services.  This bill would  recognize in state government the establishment of the California Broadband Task Force and would   require the Public Utilities Commission to access and administer any moneys received by the state pursuant to the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan Act of 2009 that are directed for broadband-related activities, programs, or projects. The bill would  require the  task force   commission  to meet no later than 30 days after the effective date of this bill to develop a strategy to  expedite accessing those funds, including the requirement to specify actions that should be taken to  assess, fund, allocate, and install broadband in California's rural and underserved areas. The  task force   commission  would be required to submit the strategy to the relevant policy and fiscal committees in each house of the Legislature within 60 days of its first  initial  meeting. The bill would declare that it would take effect immediately as an urgency statute. Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) The California Broadband Task Force (task force) recently released its final findings and recommendations in a report to the Governor and Legislature entitled "The State of Connectivity: Building Innovation Through Broadband," that represents the culmination of more than a year of work by the task force, and included maps of current broadband availability and speed, recommendations to achieve universal access and increased use, and a timeframe in which to meet these critical goals. (b) The seven recommendations developed by the task force addressed how to reach communities with little or no access, while increasing broadband adoption rates statewide. (c) Implementing the task force's recommendations will create jobs, improve public health and safety, and expand educational opportunities. (d) The task force proposed the following seven recommendations, each containing action items to be taken by both the public and private sectors: (1) Build out high-speed broadband infrastructure to all Californians. (2) Develop model permitting standards and encourage collaboration among providers. (3) Increase the use and adoption of broadband and computer technology. (4) Engage and reward broadband innovation and research. (5) Create a statewide e-health network. (6) Leverage educational opportunities to increase broadband use. (7) Continue state-level and statewide leadership. (e) The recommendations laid out in the task force's report provide a detailed roadmap for California to maintain its economic competitiveness and technology leadership through increased broadband deployment. (f) While the report shows terrific news for the state, there is still more work to be done, as nearly 2,000 communities are still unable to access high-speed Internet, only half of Californians have access to broadband at speeds greater than 10 megabits per second (Mbps), and even though availability rates are at 96 percent, just over half of California households use broadband. (g) California's public and private sectors need to work together to increase adoption rates among those households with broadband access and reach the remaining communities without it.   SEC. 2.   (a) There is hereby recognized in state government the establishment of the California Broadband Task Force. The task force   SECTION 1.   (a) The Public Utilities Commission shall access and administer any moneys received by the state pursuant to the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) that are directed for broadband-related activities, programs, or projects.  (b)     The commission  shall meet no later than 30 days after the effective date of this section to develop a strategy to expedite accessing funds provided under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which shall include all of the following: (1) Specify the actions that should be taken to assess, fund, allocate, and install broadband in California's rural and underserved areas. (2) Identify, for purposes of accomplishing the strategy, key public and private community development partners, necessary statutory or regulatory changes, and needed resources. (3) Set key tasks, timelines, and monitoring processes.  (4) Provide an update on the progress of implementing the task force's recommendations made in the report "The State of Connectivity: Building Innovation Through Broadband."   (b) The task force   (c)     The commission  shall submit the strategy developed pursuant to this section to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of each house of the Legislature within 60 days of its first  initial meeting   meeting pursuant to this section  .  SEC. 3.   SEC. 2.  This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to develop a strategy for providing broadband access to underserved areas in the state, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.