NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2037A
SPONSOR: Gunther TITLE OF BILL: An act directing the department of public service to
study the feasibility of a municipal broadband program within the state
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To establish a statewide study on the feasibility of the municipal
broadband programs
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one directs the department of public service to study and evalu-
ate the feasibility of a municipal broadband program.
Section two requires the public service commission evaluate such data
with the assistance of experts.
Section three requires that the public service commission submit to the
governor and the legislature a report on the feasibility of a municipal
broadband program, and requires the report to be published on the
department's website.
Section four is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State has doled out millions and millions of dollars to
privately owned internet service providers in return for promises to
expand their high-speed networks. However, many communities across the
United States are finding that municipal broadband programs serve the
public better.
Access to high-speed internet is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity.
There are areas of our state where it is simply unprofitable for private
ISPs to expand their networks. Instead of giving taxpayer dollars to
corporations that only seek to profit off our state's residents, we
should be putting that money back into our communities.
This bill would require the Public Service Commission to study the
feasibility of a municipal broadband program in New York State.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2018: A11302 referred to Corporations
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2037--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT directing the department of public service to study the feasibil-
ity of a municipal broadband program within the state
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The department of public service shall, in consultation
2 with the urban development corporation and any other relevant state
3 entity, undertake a study and evaluation of the feasibility of a munici-
4 pal broadband program within the state. Such study and evaluation shall
5 include, but not be limited to: the estimated costs of a municipal
6 broadband program, the current state and federal resources available to
7 municipalities to undertake such a program, and the relevant expertise
8 necessary for a municipality to administer such a program.
9 § 2. The department of public service shall evaluate such data with
10 the assistance of experts in:
11 a. internet speeds;
12 b. telecommunications; and
13 c. broadband infrastructure.
14 § 3. No later than one year after the effective date of this act, the
15 department of public service shall submit to the governor, the temporary
16 president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly a report on the
17 feasibility of a municipal broadband program within the state. Such
18 report shall also be posted on the department of public service's
19 website.
20 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01696-02-9
