Senate Bill 2004 (2021) — Broadband Internet
SB 2004
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2021 SB By Senator Burgess 20-01385-21 20212004__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled
An act relating to broadband Internet; amending s. 2 364.0135, F.S.; requiring the Florida Office of Broadband’s strategic plan to include short-term and long-term goals for increasing the availability of and access to broadband Internet service in this state; 6 providing requirements for the development of the plan; requiring the updated plan to be submitted to the Governor, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, 9 and the Legislature by a specified date; requiring the plan to be updated biennially; requiring the office to provide technical and planning assistance related to broadband infrastructure to rural communities; 13 providing an effective date. 14
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16
Section 1. Subsection (4) of
section 364.0135, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 19 364.0135 Promotion of broadband adoption; Florida Office of Broadband.— 21
(4) FLORIDA OFFICE OF BROADBAND.—The Florida Office of Broadband is created within the Division of Community Development in the department for the purpose of developing, 24 marketing, and promoting broadband Internet services in the state. The office, in the performance of its duties, shall do all of the following: 27
(
b) Build and facilitate local technology planning teams or partnerships with members representing cross-sections of the community, which may include, but are not limited to, 46 representatives from the following organizations and industries: 47 libraries, K-12 education, colleges and universities, local health care providers, private businesses, community organizations, economic development organizations, local governments, tourism, parks and recreation, and agriculture. 51
(
c) Provide technical and planning assistance related to broadband infrastructure to rural communities. 53 (d)(
c) Encourage the use of broadband Internet service, 54 especially in the rural, unserved, or underserved communities of the state through grant programs having effective strategies to facilitate the statewide deployment of broadband Internet service. For any grants to be awarded, priority must be given to Florida Senate - 2021 SB 2004 20-01385-21 20212004__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. projects that: 59 1.
Provide access to broadband education, awareness, 60 training, access, equipment, and support to libraries, schools, 61 colleges and universities, health care providers, and community support organizations. 63 2. Encourage the sustainable adoption of broadband in primarily underserved areas by removing barriers to entry. 65 3. Work toward encouraging investments in establishing affordable and sustainable broadband Internet service in underserved areas of the state. 68 4.
Facilitate the development of applications, programs, 69 and services, including, but not limited to, telework, 70 telemedicine, and e-learning to increase the usage of, and demand for, broadband Internet service in the state. 72 (e)(
d) Monitor, participate in, and provide input in proceedings of the Federal Communications Commission and other federal agencies related to the geographic availability and deployment of broadband Internet service in the state as necessary to ensure that this information is accurately presented and that rural, unserved, and underserved areas of the state are best positioned to benefit from federal and state broadband deployment programs. 80