HCSHB2052--BROADBANDDEPLOYMENTTASKFORCE
SPONSOR: Riggs
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonUtilitiesbyavoteof9to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
2052.
Thisbillestablishesthe"21stCenturyMissouriBroadband
DeploymentTaskForce".ThemembershipoftheTaskForceincludes:
threemembersoftheHouseofRepresentatives withtwomembers
appointedbytheSpeakeroftheHouseofRepresentatives andone
appointedbytheMinorityLeader,threemembersoftheSenatewith
twoappointedbythePresidentProTemoftheSenateandone
appointedbytheMinorityLeader,and27representingvarious
interestedparties.
ThedutiesoftheTaskForcearetoevaluatethestatusof
broadbanddeploymentinthestate,evaluatethedeploymentprocess,
andmakerecommendations abouthowtobestincreasebroadband
Internetdeploymenttocertainresidents. TheTaskForcewillmake
recommendations forlegislationaswellassubmitareport
outliningasummaryofTaskForceactivitiestotheGeneral
AssemblybeforeSeptember30,2023.AtthattimetheTaskForce
willsuspendoperationsandreconveneSeptember30,2024,to
provideupdatesandreviewrecommendations tobepresentedby
September30,2025.
ThisbillisthesimilartoHB1160(2021).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: SupporterssaythattheCOVID-19pandemicbrought
additionallighttothenecessityofbroadbandinternet. Broadband
hasbecomemoreofautilitythanaluxuryservice. Thetaskforce
createdinthebillwouldbringstakeholderstogethertohelpguide
thedeploymentofbroadbandfunds.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Riggs;Madeline
Romious,AT&T;Lumen;MissouriMunicipalLeague;Missouri
AssociationOfMunicipalUtilities;BlakeRollins,MissouriFarm
Bureau;MissouriBroadbandProviders;MissouriElectric
Cooperatives;WisperInternet;MissouriChamberofCommerce;
MissouriStateMedicalAssociation;andCityUtilitiesof
Springfield. Additionalwrittentestimonywassubmittedinsupport ofthebill.
OPPONENTS: Writtentestimonywassubmittedinoppositiontothe
bill.
OTHERS:OtherstestifyingonthebillsaythattheDepartmentof
EconomicDevelopmentisconductingagapanalysistoassessthe
broadbandneedsacrossthestate.TheGovernorhasallocated$400
milliontobroadbandneedsanddiscussedthebreakdownofhowthose
fundswillbeused.
TestifyingonthebillwasBJTanksley,MissouriDepartmentof
EconomicDevelopment,OfficeofBroadbandDevelopment. Additional
writtentestimonywassubmittedforinformationalpurposes.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.