HB 388: "An Act establishing the Alaska Broadband Task Force; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 388 01 "An Act establishing the Alaska Broadband Task Force; and providing for an effective 02 date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 05 to read: 06 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) The legislature finds that 07 (1) many smaller communities in the state, particularly in rural areas, have 08 limited access to the Internet; 09 (2) although the state is connected to the rest of the world through several 10 fiber optic cables, many areas within the state are unable to take advantage of the speed and 11 capacity the fiber optic cables offer; 12 (3) removing barriers to broadband deployment by using a technology-neutral 13 approach will encourage lower prices for broadband service and offer more choices to 14 consumers;
01 (4) the deployment of broadband networking and advanced 02 telecommunications services throughout the state are essential for the state to keep pace with 03 global changes in economic diversification, education, health care, energy and environmental 04 technology, and public safety; 05 (5) state action is necessary to support investment in and development of 06 accessible broadband networks in the state. 07 (b) The purpose of this Act is to establish the broadband task force to 08 (1) identify barriers to broadband access and recommend options for removing 09 those barriers; 10 (2) identify opportunities for increased broadband deployment and access by 11 users in the state; 12 (3) recommend the means for the creation and deployment of new and 13 advanced communications options in the state. 14 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 15 read: 16 ALASKA BROADBAND TASK FORCE. (a) There is established in the legislative 17 branch of state government the Alaska Broadband Task Force. The task force consists of 13 18 members appointed as follows: 19 (1) the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives 20 shall each appoint one member of the majority organizational caucus and one member of the 21 minority organizational caucus from their respective bodies; if there is no minority 22 organizational caucus in a house, the presiding officer of that house shall appoint two 23 members from the majority organizational caucus of that house; 24 (2) four members shall be representatives of federal, state, and municipal 25 agencies responsible for information technology, economic development, infrastructure 26 development, and public utility regulation and appointed jointly by the president of the senate 27 and the speaker of the house of representatives; 28 (3) five members shall be representatives of technology, telecommunications, 29 and investment businesses doing business in the state and appointed jointly by the president of 30 the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. 31 (b) The task force established under (a) of this section
01 (1) may begin work immediately after the full membership is appointed; 02 (2) shall 03 (A) determine the current level of broadband access in the urban and 04 rural areas of the state; 05 (B) determine an acceptable level of broadband service throughout the 06 state; 07 (C) determine the means for increasing the level of service, including 08 regulatory changes and investment incentives for areas that are below the acceptable 09 level determined in (B) of this paragraph; 10 (D) explore the potential for increased use of broadband service for the 11 purposes of education and health care delivery and other private and governmental 12 uses; 13 (E) solicit suggestions from persons engaged in the development of 14 broadband infrastructure and operation of broadband services for expanding the 15 availability of broadband service in the state; 16 (F) study the different means for delivering broadband service, 17 including satellite and other wireless means; 18 (G) establish best practices to establish and maintain a database that 19 lists current broadband service providers and where each operates, projects that are 20 currently being developed, and projects that are in the planning and predevelopment 21 stage; 22 (H) explore ways for encouraging state and municipal agencies to 23 expand the development and use of broadband services, including audio and video 24 streaming, voice-over Internet protocol, teleconferencing, and wireless networking; 25 (I) submit a report of the initial findings and recommendations for 26 expanding access to broadband services throughout the state to the president of the 27 senate and the speaker of the house of representatives before January 31, 2009; 28 (J) submit a final report of findings and recommendations for 29 expanding access to broadband services throughout the state to the president of the 30 senate and the speaker of the house of representatives before December 31, 2009; 31 (K) terminate on June 30, 2010.
01 (c) Members of the task force shall select a chair and vice-chair. Administrative 02 support for the task force shall be provided by legislative staff designated jointly by the 03 president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. 04 (d) A member of the task force who is not a legislator or a full-time employee of the 05 state or a municipality is entitled to per diem and travel expenses authorized for boards and 06 commissions under AS 39.20.180. 07 (e) A vacancy on the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original 08 appointment under (a)(1) - (3) of this section. 09 * Sec. 3. This Act takes effect July 1, 2008.