Amended in Senate May 16, 2016

Amended in Assembly January 14, 2016

Amended in Assembly January 13, 2016

Amended in Assembly January 4, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1549

Introduced by Assembly Member Wood

September 11, 2015

An act to add Section 14051 to the Government Code, relating to highways.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1549, as amended, Wood. Department of Transportation: state highway rights-of-way: fiber optic begin delete cables: inventory. end delete begin insert cables. end insert

Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has full possession and control of state highways and associated property. Existing law provides for the department to issue encroachment permits with respect to structures and activities in, under, or over any portion of the right-of-way of a state highway.

This bill would require the department to maintain an inventory of all begin insert broadband end insert conduits owned by the department that house fiber optic communication cables, that are located on state highway rights-of-way, and that begin delete were end delete begin insert are end insert installed on or after January 1, 2017, and to make that information available upon request of verified companies or organizations working on broadband deployment. begin insert The bill would require the department to notify verified companies and organizations of department-led highway construction projects and would authorize verified companies or organizations to collaborate with the department to install a broadband conduit as part of each project. The bill would require the department, as part of each project, to install broadband conduit capable of supporting fiber optic communication cables if no verified company or organization collaborates with the department and no broadband conduit previously exists in a project area. end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 14051 is added to the Government Code,
to read:

14051.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert The department shall maintain an inventory of all
begin insert broadband end insert conduits owned by the department that house fiber
optic communication cables, that are located on state highway
rights-of-way, and that begin delete were end delete begin insert are end insert installed on or after January 1,
2017. The department shall make the information available upon
request of verified companies or organizations working on
broadband deployment.

begin insert

(b) (1) During the design phase of a department-led highway
construction project, the department shall notify verified companies
and organizations of the project to encourage collaborative
broadband installations.

end insert begin insert

(2) For the purpose of supporting fiber optic communication
cables, after receiving notification from the department, a verified
company or organization may collaborate with the department to
install a broadband conduit as part of the project.

end insert begin insert

(3) If no verified company or organization collaborates with
the department and no broadband conduit previously exists in the
project area, the department, as part of the project, shall install
a broadband conduit capable of supporting fiber optic
communication cables.

end insert begin insert

(4) Nothing in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, requires the
department to report on cables owned by other entities.

end insert