Text: HF00262 Text: HF00264 Text: HF00200 - HF00299 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 8D.2, subsection 5, Code 2001, is 1 2 amended to read as follows: 1 3 5. "Public agency" means a state agency, an institution 1 4 under the control of the board of regents, the judicial branch 1 5 as provided in section 8D.13, subsection 17, a school 1 6 corporation, a city library, a regional library as provided in 1 7 chapter 256, a county library as provided in chapter 336, or a 1 8 judicial district department of correctional services 1 9 established in section 905.2, to the extent provided in 1 10 section 8D.13, subsection 15, an agency of the federal 1 11 government,ora United States post office which receives a 1 12 federal grant for pilot and demonstration projects, or a 1 13 community participating in the rural communities internet 1 14 access program pursuant to section 15.372. 1 15 Sec. 2. Section 8D.3, subsection 3, paragraph i, Code 1 16 2001, is amended to read as follows: 1 17 i. Evaluate existing and projected rates for use of the 1 18 system and ensure that rates are sufficient to pay for the 1 19 operation of the system excluding the cost of construction and 1 20 lease costs for Parts I, II, and III. The commission shall 1 21 establish all hourly rates to be charged to all authorized 1 22 users for the use of the network. A fee established by the 1 23 commission to be charged to a hospital licensed pursuant to 1 24 chapter 135B, a physician clinic,orthe federal government, 1 25 or a community participating in the rural communities internet 1 26 access program pursuant to section 15.372 shall be at an 1 27 appropriate rate so that, at a minimum, there is no state 1 28 subsidy related to the costs of the connection or use of the 1 29 network related to such user. 1 30 Sec. 3. Section 8D.11, subsection 4, Code 2001, is amended 1 31 to read as follows: 1 32 4. A political subdivision receiving communications 1 33 services from the state as of April 1, 1986, may continue to 1 34 do so but communications services shall not be provided or 1 35 resold to additional political subdivisions other than a 2 1 school corporation, a city library, a regional library as 2 2 provided in chapter 256,anda county library as provided in 2 3 chapter 336, or a community participating in the rural 2 4 communities internet access program pursuant to section 2 5 15.372. The rates charged to the political subdivision shall 2 6 be the same as the rates charged to state agencies. 2 7 Sec. 4. Section 8D.13, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code 2 8 2001, is amended to read as follows: 2 9 c. "Part III" means the communications connection between 2 10 the secondary switching centers and the agencies defined in 2 11 section 8D.2, subsections 4 and 5, excluding state agencies, 2 12 institutions under the control of the board of regents, 2 13 nonprofit institutions of higher education eligible for 2 14 tuition grants, and the judicial branch, judicial district 2 15 departments of correctional services, hospitals and physician 2 16 clinics, agencies of the federal government,andpost offices, 2 17 or a community participating in the rural communities internet 2 18 access program pursuant to section 15.372. 2 19 Sec. 5. Section 8D.13, Code 2001, is amended by adding the 2 20 following new subsection: 2 21 NEW SUBSECTION. 20. Access shall be offered to qualifying 2 22 communities pursuant to the rural communities internet access 2 23 program established in section 15.372. A community 2 24 participating in the program shall be responsible for all 2 25 costs associated with becoming a part of the network. 2 26 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 15.371 SHORT TITLE. 2 27 This part shall be known and may be cited as the "Rural 2 28 Communities Internet Access Program". 2 29 Sec. 7. NEW SECTION. 15.372 RURAL COMMUNITIES INTERNET 2 30 ACCESS PROGRAM. 2 31 1. The department shall establish a program to provide 2 32 internet access to the Iowa communications network for 2 33 businesses in communities lacking affordable, high-speed 2 34 broadband internet access. For purposes of this section, 2 35 "community" means a city, unincorporated area, or township. 3 1 To participate in the program, a community shall: 3 2 a. Have a population of twenty thousand or fewer 3 3 individuals. 3 4 b. Possess less than a T2 capability. For purposes of 3 5 this section, "T2" means a telecommunications transmission 3 6 system operating at a bandwidth capacity of three and one- 3 7 hundred-fifty-two thousandths megabits per second. 3 8 c. Agree to utilize the Iowa communications network for 3 9 internet access strictly by community businesses for economic 3 10 development purposes. 3 11 2. A community meeting the requirements of subsection 1 3 12 may submit an application to the board. Each application 3 13 shall include an assessment of the length of time anticipated 3 14 before the community will have high-speed broadband internet 3 15 access, efforts by the community to acquire such access, and a 3 16 plan specifying the economic development activities for which 3 17 community businesses envision utilizing the IOWA 3 18 COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK for internet access. If granted, an 3 19 application shall provide for nonsubsidized access to the Iowa 3 20 communications network until such time as it is determined by 3 21 the board that the community either possesses or is capable of 3 22 acquiring high-speed broadband internet access. All 3 23 communities participating in the program shall annually submit 3 24 to the board a report detailing progress made regarding the 3 25 economic development activities specified in the plan 3 26 originally submitted with their application, and an updated 3 27 assessment of the length of time anticipated before the 3 28 community will have high-speed broadband internet access and 3 29 efforts by the community to acquire such access. 3 30 3. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to section 3 31 17A to administer this section. 3 32 EXPLANATION 3 33 This bill provides for the establishment of a rural 3 34 community internet access program for businesses in 3 35 communities lacking affordable, high-speed broadband internet 4 1 access. The bill provides that to participate in the program, 4 2 a community, defined as a city, unincorporated area, or 4 3 township, shall have a population of 20,000 or fewer 4 4 individuals, possess less than a T2 capability, and agree to 4 5 utilize the Iowa communications network for internet access 4 6 strictly for economic development activities by community 4 7 businesses. The bill defines "T2" as a telecommunications 4 8 transmission system operating at a bandwidth capacity of 3.152 4 9 megabits per second. The bill provides that to participate in 4 10 the program, a community shall submit an application to the 4 11 Iowa economic development board. The bill provides that an 4 12 application shall include an assessment of the length of time 4 13 anticipated before the community will have high-speed 4 14 broadband internet access, efforts by the community to acquire 4 15 such access, and a plan specifying the economic development 4 16 activities for which community businesses envision utilizing 4 17 the Iowa communications network for internet access. The bill 4 18 also provides that if granted, an application shall provide 4 19 for nonsubsidized access to the Iowa communications network 4 20 until it is determined by the board that the community either 4 21 possesses or is capable of acquiring high-speed broadband 4 22 internet access. The bill provides that a community 4 23 participating in the program shall annually submit to the 4 24 board a report detailing progress made regarding the economic 4 25 development activities accomplished and an updated time 4 26 estimate for acquiring high-speed broadband internet access. 4 27 The bill provides for conforming changes to Code chapter 8D 4 28 regarding access to the Iowa communications network on a 4 29 nonsubsidized basis by a community participating in the 4 30 program. 4 31 LSB 1548YH 79 4 32 rn/cls/14
Text: HF00262 Text: HF00264 Text: HF00200 - HF00299 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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