BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 850|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 850
Author: Escutia (D)
Amended: 1/24/06
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, UTIL. & COMMUNICATIONS COMM. : 8-2, 4/5/05
AYES: Escutia, Alarcon, Bowen, Cox, Dunn, Kehoe, Murray,
Simitian
NOES: Battin, Campbell
NO VOTE RECORDED: Morrow
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-5, 1/19/06
AYES: Murray, Alquist, Escutia, Florez, Ortiz, Romero,
Torlakson
NOES: Aanestad, Ashburn, Battin, Dutton, Poochigian
NO VOTE RECORDED: Alarcon
SUBJECT : Broadband telecommunications service
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the State Chief Information
Officer to submit a report to the Legislature, by January
1, 2008, that analyzes the need for making broadband
service accessible in all areas of the state, and makes
related legislative findings.
ANALYSIS : Existing law declares that it is state policy
to:
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1. Encourage the development and deployment of new
technologies and the ubiquitous availability of
state-of-the-art services.
2. Assist in the bridging of the digital divide by
encouraging expanded access to state-of-the-art
technologies for rural, inner-city, low-income and
disabled Californians.
3. Promote economic growth, job creation, and the
substantial social benefits that result from the rapid
implementation of advanced information and
communications technologies.
Existing law creates the Digital Divide Account within the
California Teleconnect Fund Administrative Committee Fund.
This fund derives its revenues from a statutory earmark
that allocates 15 percent of all revenue from leases on
state property to wireless communications providers.
Currently, all revenue in the fund must be used for pilot
wireless projects.
This bill finds that the President of the United States has
declared that the country should have universal, affordable
broadband access by 2007.
This bill requires the State Chief Information Officer
(SCIO) to prepare and submit to the Legislature, by January
1, 2008, a report that analyzes making broadband
telecommunications service accessible in all areas of the
state. The report shall include an analysis of the state's
broadband needs, the extent of the digital divide, a
description of alternatives for financing the network, and
an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of these financing
alternatives.
This bill declares that the state's universal service
policy should include the concept of availability of
broadband services to all areas of the state and authorizes
money from the Digital Divide Account to be utilized to
fund the costs incurred by the SCIO to prepare and submit
the report.
Background
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California has a long-standing policy of encouraging the
deployment and use of advanced telecommunications services,
including high-speed, or broadband, services. Examples of
broadband service include DSL service as offered by SBC and
Verizon, and cable modem services. SB 1563 (Polanco),
Chapter 674, Statutes of 2002, required the Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) to look at ways of encouraging
the widespread availability of broadband infrastructure.
In response the PUC has issued a draft report on broadband
deployment in California. Among the recommendations are
making broadband deployment and accessibility a priority,
in the form of an Executive Order or statute, creating a
Broadband Task Force, and integrating broadband
capabilities into the way the state performs its
functions.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
The bill finances the costs of the report from the
Teleconnect Administrative Committee Fund.
SUPPORT : (Verified 1/23/06)
California Community Technology Policy Group
NC:mel 1/25/06 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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