Bill Text: HI SB1067 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To The Hawaii Broadband And Digital Equity Office.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-12-10 - Carried over to 2022 Regular Session. [SB1067 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2022-SB1067-Introduced.html
THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1067 |
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE HAWAII BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY OFFICE.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION
1. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be
appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"CHAPTER
HAWAII BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY OFFICE
§
-1
Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the
context otherwise requires:
"Broadband" means high-speed
internet access that is always on, including mobile and fixed technologies.
"Department"
means the department of business, economic development, and tourism.
"Digital equity" means a condition in which all
individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for
full participation in our society, democracy, and economy.
"Office" means the Hawaii broadband and digital equity
office.
§ -2
Hawaii broadband and digital equity office; establishment; state
broadband coordinator. (a) There is established the Hawaii broadband and
digital equity office within the department of business, economic development,
and tourism.
(b) The
director of business, economic development, and tourism shall appoint, exempt
from chapter 76, a state broadband coordinator to head the office.
§ -3 Hawaii broadband and digital equity office;
duties. In furtherance of the State's objectives and policies for the
economy pursuant to section 226-10.5, the office shall:
(1) Develop
and implement specific strategies and plans to aggressively increase broadband
affordability, penetration, and competitive availability in the State;
(2) Support
the efforts of both public and private entities in Hawaii to enhance or
facilitate the deployment of and access to competitively priced, advanced
electronic communications services, including broadband and its products and
services and internet access services of general application throughout Hawaii;
(3) Promote
the landing of trans-Pacific submarine cable, including the development of a
carrier neutral cable landing station and associated terrestrial connectivity
to reduce barriers to fiber landing in Hawaii;
(4) Promote,
advocate, and facilitate the implementation of the findings and recommendations
of the most current Hawaii broadband strategic plan;
(5) Support
the findings of the community-based Broadband Hui as reflected in its digital equity
declaration;
(6) Administer
grant programs in support of broadband infrastructure, innovation, and the
digital economy;
(7) Actively
seek out funding from private and public sources in furtherance of the office's
duties pursuant to this chapter; and
(8) Provide a repository, aggregation point, and
governance framework for broadband mapping and digital equity data from various
sources including but not limited to digital literacy, telehealth, distance
education, remote work, internet accessibility, and service coverage to support
mapping, reporting, infrastructure deployment, and data-driven policy.
§
-4 Broadband planning and
coordination; cooperation.
(a) The office shall:
(1) Seek
input and the widest possible cooperation from public and private agencies and
individuals to achieve the purposes of this chapter;
(2) Work
closely with and assist the counties in the promotion of coordinated state and
county broadband planning;
(3) Encourage
every state department, county agency, and other public or private agencies and
individuals involved in broadband programs to participate in the activities of
the office and incorporate, to the extent feasible, the ideas and suggestions
of the participants in the office's comprehensive planning goals;
(4) Monitor
the broadband-based development efforts of other states and nations in areas
such as business, education, and health;
(5) Advise
the department on other states' best practices involving remote work promotion
and policies and strategies related to making affordable broadband services
available to every Hawaii home and business;
(6) Monitor
broadband-related activities at the federal level;
(7) Encourage
public-private partnerships to increase the deployment and adoption of
broadband services and applications;
(8) Monitor
regulatory and policy changes for potential impact on broadband deployment and
sustainability in Hawaii; and
(9) Advise
the director of business, economic development, and tourism on broadband deployment."
SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY: |
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BY REQUEST |
Report Title:
Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office
Description:
Establishes the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.