Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1960 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 1960
	1	+	By: Price, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Perry) H.B. No. 1960
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2019;
	3	+	April 24, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on
	4	+	Business & Commerce; May 3, 2019, reported adversely, with
	5	+	favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9,
	6	+	Nays 0; May 3, 2019, sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1960 By: Nichols
2	9
3	10
	11	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	12		AN ACT
5	13		relating to the creation of the governor's broadband development
6	14		council.
7	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	16		SECTION 1. Subtitle F, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
9	17		by adding Chapter 490H to read as follows:
10	18		CHAPTER 490H. GOVERNOR'S BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
11	19		Sec. 490H.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
12	20		(1) "Broadband" means a service that provides advanced
13	21		telecommunications capability and Internet access.
14	22		(2) "Council" means the governor's broadband
15	23		development council.
16	24		(3) "Unserved area" means a census block without
17	25		access to broadband capable of providing:
18	26		(A) a download speed of at least 25 megabits per
19	27		second; and
20	28		(B) an upload speed of at least three megabits
21	29		per second.
22	30		Sec. 490H.002. COMPOSITION. (a) The council is composed of
23	31		the following 17 voting members:
24	32		(1) two representatives of separate Internet service
25	33		provider industry associations, including at least one
26	34		representative of an association that primarily represents small
27	35		providers, as defined by Section 56.032, Utilities Code, appointed
28	36		by the governor;
29	37		(2) one representative of the health information
30	38		technology industry, appointed by the governor;
31	39		(3) two representatives of unaffiliated nonprofit
32	40		organizations that advocate for elderly persons statewide,
33	41		appointed by the governor;
34	42		(4) two representatives of unaffiliated nonprofit
35	43		organizations that have a demonstrated history of working with the
36	44		legislature and the public to identify solutions for expanding
37	45		broadband to rural, unserved areas of this state, appointed by the
38	46		governor;
39	47		(5) one representative of an agricultural advocacy
40	48		organization in this state, appointed by the governor;
41	49		(6) one representative of a hospital advocacy
42	50		organization in this state, appointed by the governor;
43	51		(7) one representative of a medical advocacy
44	52		organization in this state, appointed by the governor;
45	53		(8) one county official who serves in an elected
46	54		office of a county with a population of less than 35,000, appointed
47	55		by the governor;
48	56		(9) one municipal official who serves in an elected
49	57		office of a municipality with a population of less than 20,000
50	58		located in a county with a population of less than 60,000, appointed
51	59		by the governor;
52	60		(10) one representative of an institution of higher
53	61		education that has its main campus in a county with a population of
54	62		less than 60,000, appointed by the governor;
55	63		(11) one representative of a school district with a
56	64		territory that includes only counties with a population of less
57	65		than 60,000, appointed by the governor;
58	66		(12) one representative from a library association,
59	67		appointed by the governor;
60	68		(13) one member of the house of representatives,
61	69		appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
62	70		(14) one state senator, appointed by the lieutenant
63	71		governor.
64	72		(b) A member of the council appointed under Subsection (a)
65	73		serves for a five-year term.
66	74		(c) A vacancy on the council is filled in the same manner as
67	75		the original appointment.
68	76		Sec. 490H.003. COUNCIL PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor
69	77		shall designate the presiding officer of the council.
70	78		Sec. 490H.004. MEETINGS. (a) The council shall convene at
71	79		least once every quarter.
72	80		(b) The council shall convene at the call of the presiding
73	81		officer.
74	82		Sec. 490H.005. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. The office of the
75	83		governor shall provide administrative support to the council.
76	84		Sec. 490H.006. DUTIES. (a) The council shall:
77	85		(1) research the progress of broadband development in
78	86		unserved areas;
79	87		(2) identify barriers to residential and commercial
80	88		broadband deployment in unserved areas;
81	89		(3) study technology-neutral solutions to overcome
82	90		barriers identified under Subdivision (2); and
83	91		(4) analyze how statewide access to broadband would
84	92		benefit:
85	93		(A) economic development;
86	94		(B) the delivery of educational opportunities in
87	95		higher education and public education;
88	96		(C) state and local law enforcement;
89	97		(D) state emergency preparedness; and
90	98		(E) the delivery of health care services,
91	99		including telemedicine and telehealth.
92	100		(b) The council may research another matter related to
93	101		broadband only if a majority of the council approves researching
94	102		the matter.
95	103		(c) For the purpose of performing its duties under this
96	104		section, the council may consult with a representative of an
97	105		institution of higher education who has published scholarly
98	106		research on broadband.
99	107		Sec. 490H.007. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than November 1 of
100	108		each year, the council shall prepare and deliver an electronic
101	109		report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, the
102	110		lieutenant governor, and each member of the legislature.
103	111		Sec. 490H.008. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires September
104	112		1, 2029.
105	113		SECTION 2. The first report described by Section 490H.007,
106	114		Government Code, as added by this Act, is due November 1, 2020.
107	115		SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
108	116		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
109	117		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
110	118		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
111	119		Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
112		-	______________________________ ______________________________
113		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
114		-	I certify that H.B. No. 1960 was passed by the House on
115		-	April 17, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 135, Nays 9, 1
116		-	present, not voting; and that the House concurred in Senate
117		-	amendments to H.B. No. 1960 on May 14, 2019, by the following
118		-	vote: Yeas 127, Nays 14, 2 present, not voting.
119		-	______________________________
120		-	Chief Clerk of the House
121		-	I certify that H.B. No. 1960 was passed by the Senate, with
122		-	amendments, on May 10, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31,
123		-	Nays
124		-	0.
125		-	______________________________
126		-	Secretary of the Senate
127		-	APPROVED: __________________
128		-	Date
129		-	__________________
130		-	Governor
	120	+	* * * * *