HLS 20RS-1587 REENGROSSED 2020 Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 78 BY REPRESENTATIVES SCHEXNAYDER, GAROFALO, ADAMS, AMEDEE, BACALA, BEAULLIEU, BRYANT, BUTLER, CARRIER, GARY CARTER, ROBBY CARTER, CORMIER, COX, CREWS, DAVIS, DESHOTEL, ECHOLS, EDMONDS, FIRMENT, FREIBERG, FRIEMAN, GADBERRY, GAINES, GOUDEAU, HARRIS, HODGES, HORTON, HUGHES, ILLG, JEFFERSON, JENKINS, MIKE JOHNSON, TRAVIS JOHNSON, JONES, JORDAN, KERNER, LACOMBE, LANDRY, LARVADAIN, LYONS, MACK, MARCELLE, MARINO, MCCORMICK, MCFARLAND, MCKNIGHT, MCMAHEN, MIGUEZ, DUSTIN MILLER, GREGORY MILLER, MINCEY, MOORE, CHARLES OWEN, PRESSLY, RISER, ROMERO, SCHAMERHORN, SELDERS, ST. BLANC, STAGNI, THOMAS, THOMPSON, WHEAT, WHITE, WILLARD, AND WRIGHT 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, in cooperation and coordination with the Federal 4 Communications Commission's efforts, to identify access and activation gaps in 5 Louisiana. 6 WHEREAS, in the modern economy, rural broadband is a lifeline to quality of life 7and economic opportunity; and 8 WHEREAS, while broadband high-speed internet service is abundantly available in 9Louisiana cities, it is woefully absent in the rural areas of the state; and 10 WHEREAS, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, eighty 11percent of the twenty-four million American households who lack reliable and affordable 12high-speed internet are in rural areas; and 13 WHEREAS, the federal government, though the United States Department of 14Agriculture, is currently making investments in broadband infrastructures to help transform 15rural America, providing innovation and technology to increase economic competitiveness 16and opportunities; and Page 1 of 2 HLS 20RS-1587 REENGROSSED HCR NO. 78 1 WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture currently provides loans 2and grants to increase high-speed internet access in rural areas; and 3 WHEREAS, a reliable and accurate mapping of current broadband access and 4activation gaps is critical to effectively utilizing these resources; and 5 WHEREAS, the currently available broadband maps have proven to be unreliable 6and inaccurate; and 7 WHEREAS, a local approach to mapping will provide better information for 8Louisiana residents and businesses to use in order to have access to broadband services. 9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 10urge and request the Broadband for Everyone in Louisiana Commission within the office of 11the governor to create and provide broadband maps, in cooperation and coordination with 12the Federal Communications Commission's efforts, to identify access and activation gaps. 13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the broadband maps requested by this 14Resolution be submitted to the House Committee on Commerce and the Senate Committee 15on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs on or before January 1, 2021. 16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the 17Broadband 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 Reengrossed 2020 Regular Session Schexnayder Requests the Broadband for Everyone in Louisiana Commission to create and provide broadband maps, in cooperation and coordination with the Federal Communications Commission's efforts, 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. Summary of Amendments Adopted by House The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill: 1. Instruct the Broadband for Everyone in Louisiana Commission to work in cooperation and coordination with the Federal Communications Commissions efforts, when executing the directives of the Resolution. Page 2 of 2