| 1 | 1 | | 89R1750 CS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Morales of Harris H.B. No. 3953 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to a study by the broadband development office on Internet |
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| 10 | 10 | | service for multiunit residential properties. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) "Broadband service" means Internet service with |
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| 14 | 14 | | the capability of providing: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (A) a speed of not less than 100 megabits per |
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| 16 | 16 | | second for a download; |
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| 17 | 17 | | (B) a speed of not less than 20 megabits per |
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| 18 | 18 | | second for an upload; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | (C) a network round-trip latency of less than or |
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| 20 | 20 | | equal to 100 milliseconds based on the 95th percentile of speed |
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| 21 | 21 | | measurements. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) "Multiunit residential property" means improved |
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| 23 | 23 | | real property with at least 75 dwelling units, including an |
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| 24 | 24 | | apartment building or condominium. The term does not include a |
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| 25 | 25 | | hotel, motel, single-family home, or duplex. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) "Office" means the broadband development office. |
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| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 2. STUDY ON BROADBAND ACCESS FOR MULTIUNIT |
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| 28 | 28 | | RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. (a) The office shall conduct a study on |
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| 29 | 29 | | the availability of access to Internet service for residents of |
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| 30 | 30 | | multiunit residential properties in this state. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) The study must: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) identify areas that lack physical infrastructure |
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| 33 | 33 | | necessary for the provision of broadband service for multiunit |
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| 34 | 34 | | residential properties; |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) compare: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (A) the number of broadband service providers |
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| 37 | 37 | | that serve multiunit residential properties in urban areas to the |
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| 38 | 38 | | number that serve single-family homes in urban areas; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (B) average internet speeds available in urban |
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| 40 | 40 | | areas to multiunit residential properties and to single-family |
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| 41 | 41 | | homes; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (3) estimate the average cost of broadband service in |
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| 43 | 43 | | multiunit residential properties in urban areas; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (4) determine the percentage of multiunit residential |
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| 45 | 45 | | properties in urban areas that have access to Internet service |
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| 46 | 46 | | providers that are capable of providing reliable broadband service; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (5) assess Internet service downtime and consistency |
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| 48 | 48 | | of Internet speeds for multiunit residential properties; |
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| 49 | 49 | | (6) assess the availability and usage of broadband |
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| 50 | 50 | | affordability programs for multiunit residential properties in |
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| 51 | 51 | | urban areas; |
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| 52 | 52 | | (7) assess the effects for tenants of a multiunit |
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| 53 | 53 | | residential property of the property owner entering into an |
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| 54 | 54 | | exclusive contract with an Internet service provider for the entire |
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| 55 | 55 | | property, including effects on service costs; |
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| 56 | 56 | | (8) assess the effects of municipal regulations and an |
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| 57 | 57 | | absence of municipal regulations on broadband service |
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| 58 | 58 | | infrastructure deployment in areas with a high concentration of |
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| 59 | 59 | | multiunit residential properties; and |
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| 60 | 60 | | (9) where possible, include an assessment of whether |
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| 61 | 61 | | the factors described above differ in low-income areas and |
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| 62 | 62 | | higher-income areas. |
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| 63 | 63 | | SECTION 3. REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. Not later than |
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| 64 | 64 | | December 1, 2026, the office shall submit to the governor, the |
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| 65 | 65 | | lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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| 66 | 66 | | and each standing committee of the legislature with jurisdiction |
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| 67 | 67 | | over broadband service a report that includes the results of the |
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| 68 | 68 | | study and any recommendations of the office related to the study. |
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| 69 | 69 | | SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2027. |
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| 70 | 70 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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| 71 | 71 | | 1, 2025. |
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