Louisiana 2020 2020 Regular Session

Louisiana House Bill HCR78 Introduced / Bill

                    HLS 20RS-1587	ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 78
BY REPRESENTATIVE SCHEXNAYDER
COMMERCE:  Provides relative to Louisiana broadband maps to identify access and
activation gaps
1	A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the Broadband for Everyone in Louisiana Commission to create and
3 provide broadband maps to identify access and activation gaps in Louisiana.
4 WHEREAS, in the modern economy, rural broadband is a lifeline to quality of life
5and economic opportunity; and
6 WHEREAS, while broadband high-speed internet service is abundantly available in
7Louisiana cities, it is woefully absent in the rural areas of the state; and
8 WHEREAS, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, eighty
9percent of the twenty-four million American households who lack reliable and affordable
10high-speed internet are in rural areas; and
11 WHEREAS, the federal government, though the United States Department of
12Agriculture, is currently making investments in broadband infrastructures to help transform
13rural America, providing innovation and technology to increase economic competitiveness
14and opportunities; and
15 WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture currently provides loans
16and grants to increase high-speed internet access in rural areas; and
17 WHEREAS, a reliable and accurate mapping of current broadband access and
18activation gaps is critical to effectively utilizing these resources; and
19 WHEREAS, the currently available broadband maps provided by the Federal
20Communications Commission have proven to be unreliable and inaccurate; and 
Page 1 of 2 HLS 20RS-1587	ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 78
1 WHEREAS, a local approach to mapping will provide better information for
2Louisiana residents and businesses to use in order to have access to broadband services.
3 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
4urge and request the Broadband for Everyone in Louisiana Commission within the office of
5the governor to create and provide broadband maps to identify access and activation gaps.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the broadband maps requested by this
7Resolution be submitted to the House Committee on Commerce and the Senate Committee
8on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs on or before January 1, 2021.
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
10Broadband for Everyone in Louisiana Commission within the office of the governor. 
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services.  It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument.  The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.  [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 78 Original 2020 Regular Session	Schexnayder
Requests the Broadband for Everyone in Louisiana Commission to create and provide
broadband maps to identify access and activation gaps in Louisiana, and to submit the maps
to the House Committee on Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer
Protection, and International Affairs on or before January 1, 2021.
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