Governor Newsom Establishes the Driving Engine for Broadband Infrastructure Overhaul
SB-156 Communications Broadband Bill
Commentary by Terry Rodriguez
Placer County Democratic Party Central Committee Member
Governor Newsom succeeded in his mission to accomplish the largest broadband infrastructure project in our era with the vital passage of the Communications Broadband Bill SB-156 through both Houses of our California State Legislature. This provides the dynamic guidance for implementing the actions needed on the "five-pack" of broadband bills currently running through the State legislative process at this moment.
Governor Newsom's signature on July 20, 2021 was the final step in enacting the many actions this bill will accomplish in providing internet service equally throughout the State of California's rural and urban communities, giving them high speed quality service when accessing educational opportunities, health related services, government programs, and small business expansion opportunities.
The bill creates the Office of Broadband and Digital Literacy, comprised of a "broadband Czar," and a nine-member committee to provide accountability and State government oversight over the program’s implementation. Tasked with establishing a broadband advisory committee to oversee the installation of open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure into the rural communities, the committee will report how many broadband service providers have access to this network, and a projection of how many households will be connected. This administrative structure becomes the guiding force in driving the broadband infrastructure construction process.
The Communications Broadband Bill was navigated by Governor Newsom to ensure that the sizable $6 billion financial investment by the State of California, comprised of $5.2 billion in Federal funding, meets a spending plan toward accomplishing the broadband infrastructure overhaul. Underserved and unserved areas of rural and urban California will benefit from a $2 billion infusion to construct a last-mile infrastructure broadband connectivity network. An allocation of $750 million will act as financial collateral for local governments to obtain loans with attractive terms enabling them to issue bonds to finance broadband expansion within their communities. The California Advanced Services Fund will be reconstituted to allocate funding equally among rural and urban communities, as opposed to basing it on population. Most importantly, $3.25 billion will be projected for the construction of a statewide, open-access, middle-mile infrastructure, allowing internet service providers to connect to this network, creating an atmosphere of competition. Broadband services connected to this network will compete to offer improved, high quality broadband access at an attractive, economically affordable cheaper price.
Governor Gavin Newsom's leadership in formulating and activating the path to achieving the largest broadband rural and urban infrastructure network in the United States is continuing towards his goal. The California State Legislature is currently acting on legislation that may come under the authority of the Office of Broadband and Digital Literacy, most importantly the "five pack" of broadband infrastructure bills supported by the California Democratic Party Rural Caucus that Governor Newsom is engineering through our State legislature:
· SB-4 Communications: California Advanced Services Fund
· SB-28 Rural Broadband and Digital Infrastructure Video Competition Reform Act of 2021
· AB-14 Communications: Broadband Services: California Advanced Services Fund
· AB-34 An Act Relating to Communications, Communications: Broadband for All Act 2022
· AB-41 Broadband Infrastructures Deployment
The passage of these bills is instrumental in accomplishing the mission Governor Newsom highlighted from the beginning of his term as one of his paramount priorities to the rural and urban citizens of California underserved or not served by quality, high speed broadband services. Now the "buck" is handed to you the reader. Write, phone, fax, or meet your local State Senate and/or Assembly Representative stating the importance of these bills being enacted immediately so urban and rural communities can have uninterrupted access to the virtual world of business, health, government, and data services, thereby improving our State's economic prosperity and quality of life. For information on these bills access the State of California Legislation Website: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/home.xhtml