SR 47 — A Resolution establishing a legislative task force on the delivery of high-speed broadband services and directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish an advisory committee to conduct a study on the delivery of high-speed broadband services in unserved areas and underserved areas of this Commonwealth and to report its findings and recommendations to the Senate.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

656 PRINTER'STHE NO.GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE RESOLUTION Session of No.

95147 THE2019 GENERALINTRODUCED ASSEMBLYBY OFPHILLIPS-HILL, PENNSYLVANIAYAW, SENATEGORDNER, HUTCHINSON, COSTA, BAKER, AUMENT, STEFANO, WHITE, BROWNE, HAYWOOD AND BARTOLOTTA, APRIL 29, 2019 REFERRED TO COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, APRIL 29, 2019 A RESOLUTION SessionEstablishing a legislative task force on the delivery of No.high- speed broadband services and directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish an advisory committee to conduct a study on the delivery of high-speed broadband Commonwealth and to report its findings and recommendations to the Senate.

47 2019 INTRODUCED BY PHILLIPS-HILL, YAW, GORDNER, HUTCHINSON, COSTA, BAKER, AUMENT, STEFANO, WHITE, BROWNE, HAYWOOD AND BARTOLOTTA, APRIL 29, 2019 SENATOR PHILLIPS-HILL, COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, AS AMENDED, JUNE 12, 2019 A RESOLUTION Establishing a legislative task force on the delivery of high- speed broadband services and directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish an advisory committee to services in unserved areas and underserved areas of this Commonwealth and to report its findings and recommendations to the Senate.

and WHEREAS, TECHNOLOGICALEliminating DEVELOPMENTSunserved HAVEareas ENABLEDand NUMEROUSunderserved <--areas COMPETITIVEin PROVIDERSthis TOCommonwealth ENTERwill THEprovide VOICEeducational, ANDeconomic, BROADBANDhealth, MARKETPLACEgovernance USINGand MULTIPLEpublic TECHNOLOGIES,safety ANDbenefits MOSTto CONSUMERSall HAVEresidents; THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE AND PURCHASE SERVICES FROM REGULATED AND UNREGULATED PROVIDERS;

AND WHEREAS, TODAY, TRADITIONAL LANDLINE VOICE PROVIDERS HAVE LESS THAN 12% OF THE TOTAL VOICE SUBSCRIPTIONS IN THIS COMMONWEALTH BUT ARE STILL REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A NETWORK THAT CAN PROVIDE VOICE SERVICE TO EVERY CUSTOMER IN THE PROVIDER'S SERVICE TERRITORY;

AND WHEREAS, WHILE REGULATION OF TRADITIONAL LANDLINE VOICE SERVICES HAS REMAINED RELATIVELY UNCHANGED IN THIS COMMONWEALTH DESPITE THESE DRAMATIC CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY, THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT CONSUMERS USE TO COMMUNICATE HAVE FUNDAMENTALLY ALTERED THE MARKETPLACE AND CONTINUE TO DO SO;

AND WHEREAS, MODERNIZATION OF REGULATIONS AND STATUTES HAS ALREADY BEEN UNDERTAKEN IN MAY STATES AS CONSUMERS HAVE 20190SR0047PN0951 - 2 - TRANSITIONED FROM LANDLINE VOICE SERVICES TO PRODUCTS OFFERED BY UNREGULATED OR LIGHTLY REGULATED ENTITIES;

AND WHEREAS, THE PROVISION OF BROADBAND SERVICE ACROSS THIS COMMONWEALTH MUST RECOGNIZE THAT BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGICAL AND COMPETITIVE DEVELOPMENTS, THE APPROPRIATE METHOD TO SUPPORT AND INCENTIVIZE FURTHER EXPANSION OF BROADBAND SHOULD BE TECHNOLOGY AND POLICY NEUTRAL;

AND WHEREAS, Eliminating unserved areas and underserved areas in this Commonwealth will provide educational, economic, health, governance and public safety benefits to all residents;

(2) allows industries which are reliant upon traditional 20190SR0047PN0656 - 2 - manufacturing to use the Internet to expand their markets and make their operations even more efficient;

(i) maintain online field, mapping, water 20190SR0047PN0951 - 3 - management, livestock and accounting records;

and WHEREAS, The President and Congress, in the effort to make broadband or high-speed access to the Internet available to all Americans, based on the belief that every American needs to have access to broadband to have the doors of economic and social opportunity open to them, required the Federal Communications 20190SR0047PN0656 - 3 - Commission to:

(2) contribute to efforts of the United States 20190SR0047PN0951 - 4 - Department of Commerce and the United States Department of Agriculture to award $7.2 billion in grants, loans and loan guarantees to hasten the introduction of the facilities needed to provide broadband and educate consumers to use this infrastructure;

and be it further 20190SR0047PN0656 - 4 - RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Joint State Government Commission to assist the task force and conduct a study on the delivery of high-speed broadband services in unserved areas and underserved areas of this Commonwealth;

and be it further RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, as part 20190SR0047PN0951 - 5 - of its study, establish an advisory committee consisting of approximately 25 members from across this Commonwealth, including:

(14) the director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania 20190SR0047PN0656 - 5 - or a designee;

and (16) representatives of other departments, agencies, 20190SR0047PN0951 - 6 - boards, commissions or entities that the Joint State Government Commission deems appropriate in conducting the study under this resolution;

<-- (i) TO improve the delivery of high-speed broadband <-- services to unserved areas and underserved areas of this Commonwealth;

and <-- (ii) TO extend the benefits of advanced high-speed <-- broadband technology to every community in this Commonwealth through collaborative partnerships with <-- governmental and private sector stakeholders;

and COMMONWEALTH(3) THROUGH:proposed legislation which relates to the proposed recommendations and specifically addresses the delivery of high-speed broadband services to rural high-cost areas of this Commonwealth;

<--and (A)be COLLABORATIVEit PARTNERSHIPSfurther WITHRESOLVED, GOVERNMENTALThat ANDthe PRIVATEJoint SECTORState STAKEHOLDERS;Government Commission may, as it deems necessary, hold informational meetings to receive testimony from professionals or consumers with expertise or 20190SR0047PN0656 - 6 - knowledge in the matters described in this resolution;

AND (B) OTHER MEANS OF EXTENDING THE BENEFITS OF ADVANCED HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY IN THIS COMMONWEALTH;

AND (III) FOR MECHANISMS AND POSSIBLE PROGRAMS FOR FUNDING THE EXPANSION OF BROADBAND AVAILABILITY, INCLUDING HARMONIZATION OF FUNDING OPTIONS WITH ANY EXISTING FEDERAL OR OTHER STATE PROGRAMS;

AND (3) proposed legislation which relates to the proposed recommendations and specifically addresses the delivery of high-speed broadband services to rural high-cost areas of 20190SR0047PN0951 - 7 - this Commonwealth;

INCLUDING:

<-- (I) MODERNIZING TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND STATUTES REGARDLESS OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE ELIMINATION OF OUTDATED AND UNNECESSARY REGULATIONS;

AND (II) ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO THE EXPANSION OF BROADBAND AVAILABILITY;

and be it further RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission may, as it deems necessary, hold informational meetings to receive testimony from professionals or consumers with expertise or knowledge in the matters described in this resolution;

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