HLS 20RS-1587 ENGROSSED 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 ENGROSSED 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 Engrossed 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. Page 2 of 2