SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 2269, 4021, 4114 PRINTER'S NO. 4378
No. 1490 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY EACHUS, DALEY, HARKINS, M. O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI,
BELFANTI, GEORGE, JOSEPHS, LEVDANSKY, HORNAMAN, KULA,
McILVAINE SMITH, CURRY, MUNDY, K. SMITH, STABACK, SURRA,
BRENNAN, HESS, MAHONEY, GALLOWAY, GERGELY, SWANGER, LEACH,
WAGNER, CAPPELLI, J. WHITE, GIBBONS AND PRESTON, JULY 9, 2007
SENATOR WONDERLING, COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, IN SENATE, AS
AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 18, 2008
AN ACT
1 Relating to broadband deployment, mapping and availability.
2 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
3 hereby enacts as follows:
4 Section 1. Short title.
5 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Broadband
6 Deployment, Mapping and Availability Act.
7 Section 2. Declaration of policy.
8 The following is declared to be the policy of the General
9 Assembly:
10 (1) Broadband availability is a critical factor of
11 economic development to stimulate commerce and increase job
12 creation and retention in this Commonwealth.
13 (2) High-speed Internet access, or broadband, is
14 essential infrastructure that has been proven to stimulate
15 economic development, create jobs and increase property
1 values and tax receipts.
2 (3) The deployment and adoption of broadband technology
3 has resulted in enhanced economic development and public
4 safety, improved health care and educational opportunities
5 and a better quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.
6 (4) A Statewide broadband and advanced service inventory
7 established in 66 Pa.C.S. § 3014(m) (relating to network
8 modernization plans) is a vital building block to a more
9 informed broadband policy.
10 (5) Improving data collection and mapping of the
11 deployment and adoption of broadband and advanced services
12 will assist in identifying any underserved areas and
13 utilizing existing resources to trigger the deployment of
14 broadband and advanced services in such areas.
15 (6) The General Assembly recognizes and encourages
16 complementary State efforts to improve the quality and
17 usefulness of broadband and advanced service data collected
18 at the Department of Community and Economic Development as
19 required under 66 Pa.C.S. Ch. 30 (relating to alternative
20 form of regulation of telecommunications services).
21 (7) The General Assembly continues to encourage and
22 support the established partnership between public and
23 private sectors in the universal deployment of broadband
24 services as mandated under 66 Pa.C.S. § 3014(c) for the
25 residents and businesses of this Commonwealth.
26 Section 3. Mapping and report.
27 The Department of Community and Economic Development shall
28 work collaboratively with alternative service providers,
29 advanced service providers, broadband service providers and
30 information technology companies, as mandated under 66 Pa.C.S. §
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1 3014(m) (relating to network modernization plans) in order to:
2 (1) Maintain and update the Commonwealth's broadband and
3 advanced service inventory map on its Internet website no
4 less than on a monthly basis to:
5 (i) identify broadband and advanced service
6 penetration levels through a method of geographic
7 information system mapping of service availability;
8 (ii) utilize existing State programs to aggregate
9 demand for the increased deployment of high-speed <--
10 broadband and advanced service in any underserved areas;
11 and
12 (iii) provide a baseline and ongoing assessment of
13 Statewide broadband and advanced service deployment in
14 terms of total households with high-speed broadband <--
15 availability.
16 (2) Upon direction by and consultation with the
17 Department of Community and Economic Development, local
18 development districts, as defined under 66 Pa.C.S. § 3012
19 (relating to definitions) shall be authorized to establish e-
20 community teams to develop proposals for achieving greater
21 use of technology in local communities and to increase the
22 deployment of broadband and advanced services in any <--
23 underserved communities. The e-community teams shall include
24 providers of broadband and advanced services, economic
25 development organizations, AND labor organizations and, <--
26 TECHNOLOGY providers of technology, education and health care <--
27 PROVIDERS and may also include other nongovernmental entities <--
28 interested in advancing the goals of this act.
29 (3) Encourage programs to improve INCREASE computer <--
30 ownership and, Internet access for disenfranchised AND <--
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1 BROADBAND AVAILABILITY TO UNDERSERVED populations across this
2 Commonwealth.
3 (4) Protect the confidentiality of trade secrets and
4 other proprietary business information of alternative service
5 providers, broadband service providers and information
6 service providers.
7 (5) Issue an annual report to the General Assembly
8 detailing its efforts to map broadband and advanced service
9 availability throughout this Commonwealth, identify
10 underserved areas and assist in the increased MAKE <--
11 RECOMMENDATIONS ON WAYS TO INCREASE THE deployment of high- <--
12 speed broadband and advanced services under existing State
13 programs.
14 Section 4. Contracting with a nonprofit.
15 The Department of Community and Economic Development may
16 contract with a nonprofit organization to accomplish the
17 objectives set forth under section 3(1) and (3), subject to the
18 confidentiality requirements set forth under section 3(4).
19 Section 20. Effective date.
20 This act shall take effect immediately.
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