HB 7091

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to broadband Internet service; providing
3	legislative findings and intent; authorizing the
4	Department of Management Services to engage in certain
5	activities related to assessing the need for broadband
6	Internet service in the state, planning for such service,
7	and encouraging the statewide deployment of such service;
8	authorizing the department to apply for and accept certain
9	funds; providing an effective date.
10
11	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13	Section 1.  (1)  The Legislature finds that broadband
14	Internet service is critical to the economic development of the
15	state and is beneficial for libraries, schools, colleges and
16	universities, health care providers, and community
17	organizations. The Legislature further finds that barriers exist
18	to the statewide deployment of broadband Internet service,
19	especially in rural communities. The Legislature therefore
20	intends to promote the efficient and effective deployment of
21	broadband Internet service throughout the state through a
22	coordinated statewide effort.
23	(2)  The Department of Management Services is authorized to
24	work collaboratively with Enterprise Florida, Inc., state
25	agencies, local governments, private businesses, and community
26	organizations to:
27	(a)  Conduct a needs assessment of broadband Internet
28	service in collaboration with telecommunications service
29	providers, including, but not limited to, Internet service
30	providers, to assess, create, and regularly update a geographic
31	information system map at the census tract level of the
32	privately owned high-speed Internet infrastructure in the state.
33	The department may contract with an independent nongovernmental
34	organization for the purpose of developing the needs assessment.
35	(b)  Create a strategic plan with goals and strategies for
36	increasing the use of broadband Internet service in the state.
37	(c)  Build and facilitate local technology planning teams
38	and partnerships with members representing cross-sections of the
39	community, which may include, but are not limited to,
40	representatives from the following organizations and industries:
41	libraries, K-12 education, colleges and universities, local
42	health care providers, private businesses, community
43	organizations, economic development organizations, local
44	governments, tourism, parks and recreation, and agriculture.
45	(d)  Encourage the use of broadband Internet service,
46	especially in the rural, unserved, and underserved communities
47	of the state through grant programs that assist state agencies
48	and public-private partnerships with effective strategies to
49	facilitate the statewide deployment of broadband Internet
50	service. For any grants to be awarded, priority must be given to
51	projects that:
52	1.  Provide access to broadband education, awareness,
53	training, access, equipment, and support to libraries, schools,
54	colleges and universities, health care providers, and community
55	support organizations.
56	2.  Provide service options that give consumers a choice of
57	more than one broadband Internet service provider.
58	3.  Work toward establishing affordable and sustainable
59	broadband Internet service in the state.
60	4.  Facilitate the development of applications, programs,
61	and services, including, but not limited to, telework,
62	telemedicine, and e-learning to increase the usage of, and
63	demand for, broadband Internet service in the state.
64	(3)  The department may apply for and accept federal funds
65	for purposes of this section as well as gifts and donations from
66	individuals, foundations, and private organizations.
67	Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.