Legislature(2023 - 2024)SENATE FINANCE 532
03/25/2024 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB193 | |
| SB259 | |
| SB113 | |
| SB73 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 193 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 259 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 113 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 73 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HOUSE BILL NO. 193
"An Act relating to funding for Internet services for
school districts; and providing for an effective
date."
9:03:55 AM
Co-Chair Olson relayed that the committee had heard the
companion bill for HB 193 the previous year.
9:04:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BRYCE EDGMON, SPONSOR, relayed that the bill
was not new, and had been through both bodies and had been
the subject of a joint session. He noted that the version
that was in front of the committee would do exactly what
the previous years version (SB 140) proposed to do. The
bill would take an existing state broadband program (the
Broadband Assistance Grant (BAG) Program started in 2014)
that allowed schools to apply matching funds with the
School Universal Services Program at the rate of 10
megabytes per second. In 2020 the rate was increased to 25
megabytes per second.
Representative Edgmon continued that the bill proposed to
provide better internet services for schools, particularly
in far-flung areas, and would increase the internet speed
to 100 megabytes per second. Smaller schools that did not
have the ability for fiber-optic or other options would
have the ability to compete through an application process
for matching monies of up to $9 in federal funds for every
$1 in state funding.
Co-Chair Olson thought the potential funding was
significant.
Representative Edgmon relayed that the fiscal note was not
insignificant. He explained that the note assumed that
every applicant would qualify and the maximum amount of
funding would be drawn upon, which he did not think would
be the actual case. He pointed out that the issue was very
time sensitive, and that at midnight in two days there was
a federal deadline for schools to participate in the
program.
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to report HB 193 out of Committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
HB 193 was REPORTED out of committee with six "do pass"
recommendations and one no recommendationrecommendation,
and with one previously published fiscal impact note: FN
1(EED).
9:07:21 AM
AT EASE
9:08:42 AM
RECONVENED