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Governor, legislative leaders announce historic broadband budget bill
In a joint announcement, the governor and legislative leaders called the broadband package “historic,” and “a legacy project that will benefit generations of rural and urban residents alike.”
The legislation is meant to yield vital, broadened access for California families by prioritizing the unserved and underserved areas, facilities, households, and businesses that remain disconnected in the digital era.
The legislation includes:
— More vital accountability and legislative oversight.
— Creating a “broadband czar” and nine-member council within the California Department of Technology.
— Hiring a third-party to build and maintain the “middle-mile network, high-capacity fiber lines that carry large amounts of data at higher speeds over longer distances between local networks.
— Investing $3.25 billion to target that middle mile and build the broadband lines.
— Providing $2 billion for ‘last-mile’ infrastructure lines that will connect consumers’ homes and businesses with local networks ($1 billion for rural communities; $1 billion for urban communities).
“Our work on this critical issue is not done. We are fully committed to passing comprehensive measures by the end of this year’s legislative session to ensure the surcharge funding via the California Advanced Services Fund is extended. These surcharge funds are embedded in pending legislation and are critical to the long-term success of local connectivity projects and to ensure every Californian has access to high-quality broadband internet like they rightfully deserve,” the group said.
On Tuesday, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), whose district includes Lake County, and Sen. Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) lauded the bill but said more legislation will be needed.
“This broadband deployment budget bill will have an enormous impact on the lives of all Californians,” said Aguiar-Curry. “In partnership with my colleague Sen. Gonzalez, we have highlighted the critical need to modernize our state’s broadband policy and programs, and to commit long-term funding to guarantee internet connectivity for all California communities, rural and urban.
“I am immensely proud that our efforts have contributed to a budget deal between Gov. Newsom, Pro Tem Atkins and Speaker Rendon to provide a generational $6 billion investment in broadband infrastructure,” said Aguiar-Curry. “Modern, adaptable technology in every corner of our State will provide access to education and job training, health care, and the digital economy. Passage of AB 14 and SB 4 this year is the next essential step in providing a historic policy and funding package to lead California into the future.”
“This historic broadband budget bill is great news to celebrate! It invests in an essential backbone infrastructure that will help California achieve accessible and affordable Broadband for All and also takes critical steps toward equity by prioritizing unserved and underserved areas in both rural and urban communities throughout our state,” said Sen. Gonzalez.
“Overall, this budget bill is one we can be proud of, that represents the values of our state and that will provide a strong foundation through which we can accomplish much more this legislative session to help close the digital divide — because our work does not end here,” Gonzalez said. “Now, we must pass legislation to provide long-term, continuous funding for high-speed broadband infrastructure, to reaffirm the prioritization of equitable broadband infrastructure deployment projects and to ensure we have a comprehensive broadband package this legislative session to successfully address the digital divide once and for all.”
Details on the bill can be found in AB/SB 156.