See other bills
under the
same topic
PRINTER'S NO. 3421
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2293
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY CAUSER, BOBACK, CONKLIN, ENGLISH, GILLEN,
GODSHALL, A. HARRIS, IRVIN, JAMES, KAUFER, KAVULICH,
M. K. KELLER, LONGIETTI, MACKENZIE, MILLARD, MURT, PICKETT,
RAPP, ROEBUCK, SCHLOSSBERG, SOLOMON AND WARD, APRIL 23, 2018
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
APRIL 23, 2018
AN ACT
Establishing the Rural Broadband Deployment Fund; and conferring
powers and imposing duties on the Department of Community and
Economic Development.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Rural
Broadband Deployment Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Fund." The Rural Broadband Deployment Fund established
under this act.
"Rural." A municipality in this Commonwealth that is defined
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania as rural based on
population density.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
Section 3. Advisory board.
(a) Creation.--The department shall create an advisory board
to advise the secretary in the administration of this act. The
advisory board members shall be appointed by the secretary and
shall consist of the following, who shall either be a resident
of this Commonwealth or a member of an organization located in
this Commonwealth:
(1) The secretary or a designee, who shall serve as
chairperson.
(2) The Secretary of Agriculture or a designee.
(3) A member of the Governor's executive staff.
(4) The executive director of the Pennsylvania Public
Utility Commission or a designee.
(5) The Office of Small Business Advocate or a designee.
(6) The Office of Consumer Advocate or a designee.
(7) The director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania or
a designee.
(8) The director of the Governor's Pennsylvania Rural
Development Council or a designee.
(9) The president of the Pennsylvania Rural Electric
Association or a designee.
(10) The president of the Pennsylvania Telephone
Association or a designee.
(11) Two members of Statewide general farm organizations
from rural areas.
(12) The president of the Broadband Cable Association of
20180HB2293PN3421 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Pennsylvania.
(13) One member appointed by the President pro tempore
of the Senate.
(14) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(15) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
Senate.
(16) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives.
(b) Terms.--The members appointed under subsection (a)(11),
(13), (14), (15) and (16) shall serve an initial term of three
years and thereafter shall serve until replaced by the
appointing authority.
(c) Meetings.--A majority of the board shall constitute a
quorum. Each action of the board shall be by a majority vote.
The board shall meet upon the call of the chairperson, but not
less than semiannually, to carry out the board's duties under
this act.
(d) Powers and duties.--The board shall have the power and
duty to:
(1) Investigate and make recommendations to the
secretary to improve the deployment of broadband and other
high-speed data Internet services to rural areas of this
Commonwealth.
(2) Issue requests for proposals to solicit the use of
money in the fund.
(3) Review and recommend proposals to deploy broadband
and other high-speed data Internet services in this
Commonwealth. Priority shall be given to proposals which will
primarily serve rural areas.
20180HB2293PN3421 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(4) Authorize expenditures from the fund.
(5) Assist in coordinating the use of existing or future
infrastructure resources to effectuate the efficient
deployment of broadband and other high-speed data Internet
services to rural areas.
(6) Promulgate, adopt and use guidelines to carry out
its duties. Guidelines shall be published in the Pennsylvania
Bulletin. The guidelines shall be subject to review under
section 204(b) of the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L.950,
No.164), known as the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, shall be
effective for a period of one year and shall be replaced by
regulations which have been promulgated, adopted and
published under the act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181),
known as the Regulatory Review Act.
Section 4. Rural Broadband Deployment Fund.
(a) Establishment.--The Rural Broadband Deployment Fund is
established within the State Treasury. Money appropriated,
given, granted or donated for the purposes of rural
infrastructure improvement, including broadband and other high-
speed data Internet services, by the Federal Government, the
General Assembly and public or private sources, shall be
deposited into the fund.
(b) Specific funding.--At least 50% of funding made
available to the Commonwealth through the Federal Rural
Infrastructure Program shall be deposited into the fund.
(c) Use of fund.--Money deposited in the fund and interest
earned on money deposited in the fund shall be used solely for
the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 30 days.
20180HB2293PN3421 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30