HM 46 — FED AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 46REQUESTING 56THTHAT LEGISLATURE-NEW STATEMEXICO'S OFCONGRESSIONAL NEWMEXICODELEGATION -SUPPORT SECONDFUNDING SESSION,FOR 2024THE INTRODUCEDFEDERAL BYAFFORDABLE DebraCONNECTIVITY M.PROGRAM.

Sariñana5 andWHEREAS, Tarainternet L.connectivity is essential to the success of families, businesses and government;

Lujanand 6WHEREAS, 8congress 10created Athe MEMORIALfederal REQUESTINGaffordable THATconnectivity NEWprogram MEXICO'Sin CONGRESSIONAL2021 DELEGATIONto SUPPORTmake FUNDINGbroadband FORservice THEand FEDERALconnected AFFORDABLEdevices CONNECTIVITYavailable PROGRAM.to lower-income households at discounted prices from internet providers that opt in to participate in the program;

14and WHEREAS, internetthe federal affordable connectivity isprogram essentialhas enabled low-income families to theaccess successonline ofeducational families,resources, businessesgain employment opportunities, receive telehealth services and government;participate in civic life;

and WHEREAS, congressas createdof theJanuary federal2024, affordablemore ethan ttwenty-two 17million connectivityAmerican programhouseholds inrely 2021on tothe makefederal broadbandaffordable serviceconnectivity andprogram wfor laccess n d 18 connected devices available to lower-incomethe householdsinternet, atmany =of =whom 19receive abroadband laccess discountedeffectively pricesfree fromafter internetthe providersfederal thataffordable optconnectivity inprogram todiscount; i a e r 20 participate in the program;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, the federal affordable connectivity program has d r e 22 enabled low-income families to access online educational c e s k 23 resources, gain employment opportunities, receive telehealth e a n b 24 services and participate in civic life;

and u [ WHEREAS, as of January 2024, more than twenty-two million .227753.2 American households rely on the federal affordable connectivity program for access to the internet, many of whom receive broadband access effectively free after the federal affordable connectivity program discount;

and WHEREAS, in 2021, the New Mexico legislature passed the Broadband Access and Expansion Act, which created the office of broadband access and expansion under the department of HM 46 Page 1 information technology;

and WHEREAS, in 2023, New Mexico received over six hundred seventy-five million dollars ($675,000,000) through the federal e t 17 broadband equity, access, and deployment program to provide w l n d 18 access to high-speed internet to residents of the state;

and = = 19 a l WHEREAS, approximately one hundred seventy-six thousand i a e r 20 households in New Mexico are enrolled in the federal affordable a t m m 21 connectivity program;

and d r e 22 WHEREAS, this increased internet access allows New c e s k 23 Mexicans to access social service programs such as medicaid;

e a n b 24 and u [ WHEREAS, having access to the internet can allow New .227753.2 - 2 - Mexicans to also access a higher quality of life;

and WHEREAS, the end of the federal affordable connectivity program would impede the success of ongoing federal and state efforts to close the digital divide by halting construction HM 46 Page 2 of new infrastructure that otherwise would have helped to reach those in unserved and underserved communities;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico congressional delegation be urged to continue to fund the e t 17 federal affordable connectivity program to ensure that everyone w l n d 18 has access to broadband services;

and = = 19 a l BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be i a e r 20 transmitted to the New Mexico congressional delegation and the a t m m 21 president of the United States.

dHM r46 ePage 22 - 3 -25 c e s k 23 e a n b 24 u [ .227753.2