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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 8, 2019 12:04 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Pam Snyder |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Broadband Universal Service Audit |
| A resolution I will be introducing directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct an audit on the compliance of telecommunication carriers with high-speed broadband universal service deployment mandates under the Public Utility Code. The committee will be tasked with determining whether telecommunication carriers have fulfilled their commitments to provide broadband availability to everyone in their distribution networks by December 31, 2015. Bona Fide Retail Request (BFRR) and Network Modernization Plans (NMP) will also be analyzed. The Committee shall issue a report of the findings and recommendations within a year of the adoption of this resolution. High -speed broadband may have once been considered a luxury service that was not necessarily needed to successfully participate in areas, such as, getting an advanced degreeschool or running a small business. Today the reality is much different. Access to adequate broadband has evolved more into a basic need that is essential to maneuver successfully in today’s society. Students need to be able to access broadband from home to complete homework or to be able to use all the tools available for studying. A student who cannot access broadband is obviously limited and is placed at a significant disadvantage. An established website and online shopping have become indispensable to running a successful business. Our rural business owners are suffering because they are shut out by the much slower internet service they have no other option but to use. Telemedicine has emerged as a critical component for our elderly citizens healthcare needs. Broadband is unquestionably required to partake in our world today and everyone deserve access to high-speed broadband. I hope you will join me as a co-sponsor of this important legislation. |
Introduced as HR354