| 45 | | - | WHEREAS, access to the Internet is essential for life in the twenty-first century, which is increasingly reliant on digital technology; and WHEREAS, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic highlighted the importance of digital connectivity, as people were forced to depend on the Internet to connect with basic educational, occupational, and health care services; and WHEREAS, as the State exits the pandemic, many businesses and government organizations are continuing to expand options for accessing services remotely to increase efficiency and improve public health; and WHEREAS, rural and neighbor island communities often lack the same basic infrastructure that urban residents enjoy, making the development of systems for remotely accessing public services an urgent matter of social and economic equity; and WHEREAS, while federal programs have been offered to assist low-income families in paying for broadband technology, many working families remain unable to afford the increasing monthly cost of internet service because of Hawaii's high cost of living; and WHEREAS, numerous cities have begun installing Wi-Fi in public parks to support internet access for underserved communities, including the cities of Los Angeles, California, and Indianapolis, Indiana; and WHEREAS, in 2016, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs designated the location of one hundred new Spectrum Wi-Fi hotspots at public parks, civic and community centers, and other gathering places as part of a court order approving the transfer of Oceanic Time Warner Cable to Charter Communications; and WHEREAS, the State has identified strengthening digital equity as a strategic imperative in the development of a modern economy for local residents and future generations; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, the Senate concurring, that the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office is requested to increase access to Wi-Fi in public parks throughout the State; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office is requested to work with the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the counties to assess the current level of internet access in public parks; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Broadband Coordinator, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, and Mayors of the Counties of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai. Report Title: Broadband and Digital Equity Office; Wi-Fi; Public Parks |
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| 45 | + | WHEREAS, access to the Internet is essential for life in the twenty-first century, which is increasingly reliant on digital technology; and WHEREAS, the coronavirus pandemic 2019 highlighted the importance of digital connectivity, as people were forced to depend on the Internet to connect with basic educational, occupational, and health care services; and WHEREAS, as the State exits the pandemic, many businesses and government organizations are continuing to expand options for accessing services remotely to increase efficiency and improve public health; and WHEREAS, rural and neighbor island communities often lack the same basic infrastructure that urban residents enjoy, making the development of systems for remotely accessing public services an urgent matter of social and economic equity; and WHEREAS, while federal programs have been offered to assist low-income families in paying for broadband technology, many working families remain unable to afford the increasing monthly cost of internet service because of Hawaii's high cost of living; and WHEREAS, numerous cities have begun installing Wi-Fi in public parks to support internet access for underserved communities, including the cities of Los Angeles, California and Indianapolis, Indiana; and WHEREAS, in 2016, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs designated the location of one hundred new Spectrum Wi-Fi hotspots at public parks, civic and community centers, and other gathering places as part of a court order approving the transfer of Oceanic Time Warner Cable to Charter Communications; and WHEREAS, the State has identified strengthening digital equity as a strategic imperative in the development of a modern economy for local residents and future generations; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, the Senate concurring, that the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office is requested to increase access to Wi-Fi in public parks throughout the State; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Broadband Coordinator, and Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, and Mayors of the Counties of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ Report Title: Broadband and Digital Equity Office; Wi-Fi; Public Parks |
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