BILL ANALYSIS
SB 1462
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Date of Hearing: June 30, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
SB 1462 (Padilla) - As Amended: June 23, 2010
Policy Committee:
UtilitiesVote:10-3
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a nine-member California Broadband
Council, with specified duties, to promote broadband deployment
for the benefit of all Californians. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the chair of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to
call the first meeting of the council-to be held no later than
March 1, 2011-and to serve as chair of the council for the
first meeting, and requires the council to meet at least three
times annually.
2)Requires council members, at the first meeting, to choose a
chair for subsequent meetings, and requires the office of the
council member serving as chair to provide staff support to
the council.
3)Makes the council subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting
Act, and requires the council to provide opportunities for
stakeholder groups to provide input regarding broadband
deployment.
FISCAL EFFECT
Minor ongoing costs (less than $30,000) for staff to provide
administrative support to the council.
COMMENTS
1)Background . In October 2006, the governor issued an executive
order establishing the California Broadband Task Force to
utilize internet technology for education, health care, and
SB 1462
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the other relevant applications. The task force was intended
to bring together public and private stakeholders to remove
barriers to broadband access, identify opportunities for
increased broadband adoption, and enable the creation and
deployment of new advanced communication technologies.
In January 2008, the task force published its final report and
found that 96% of households have basic broadband access,
making California a leading state in broadband availability.
The report indicated that nearly 2,000 communities were still
unable to access high-speed internet, only one-half of
Californians have access to broadband at speeds greater than
10 Mbps, and even though availability rates are at 96%, just
over half of California households use broadband.
Among the report's recommendations was that the governor
continue to periodically convene the task force, in order to
"?monitor and provide feedback on both the recommendations
contained in this report and other broadband initiatives
underway in the state."
2)Purpose . According to the author, SB 1462 will help the state
continue its commitment to bring the economic benefits of
high-speed Internet access to all of its citizens. The author
states that the bill will maximize California's opportunities
to receive federal funds under the new National Broadband
Plan, increase coordination of state resources for broadband
networks, and ensure continuation of California's leadership
in broadband deployment and adoption.
The council established in this bill will consist of the
following members or their designees: State Chief Information
Officer; President of the PUC); Secretary of California
Emergency Management; Superintendent of Public Instruction;
Director of General Services; Secretary of Business,
Transportation and Housing; President of the California
Emerging Technology Fund (CETF); a member of the Senate,
appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and a member of
the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081