HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1728
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to broadband service infrastructure.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has highlighted the significant need for new and enhanced broadband infrastructure. A lack of accessibility to reliable high-speed broadband service has had a tremendous negative effect in many areas, particularly unserved and underserved communities. The legislature acknowledges that additional investment must be made to meet the needs in rural communities and to enhance broadband internet access for those in communities that lack adequate broadband infrastructure. The legislature further finds that increased access to broadband services in unserved and underserved areas of the State would enhance Hawaii's overall economic development, education, health care, and emergency services.

Accordingly, the legislature enacted Act 225, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021 (Act 225), to support efforts to improve access to broadband services for residents, consumers, and businesses across the State. Act 225, in part, designated the newly created broadband and digital equity office as a resource to provide a repository, aggregation point, and governance framework for broadband mapping and digital equity data to support mapping, reporting, infrastructure deployment and data-driven policy. Act 225 also appropriated $5,000,000 of the funds that the State received pursuant to Section 9901 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, for grants to support and extend the deployment of facilities used to provide broadband service to unserved and underserved areas in Hawaii. However, the legislature recognizes that the current lack of accurate information regarding broadband data nationwide, especially in rural neighborhoods, is preventing efforts to increase access to reliable high-speed broadband service to unserved and underserved areas, including those within the State.

The purpose of this Act is to require broadband service providers to annually disclose to the broadband and digital equity office certain broadband data and the street-level locations where it has deployed fiber cable within the State.

SECTION 2. Chapter 206S, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§206S-   Disclosures; broadband data; infrastructure deployment. (a) All broadband service providers that provide service within the State shall disclose in an annual report to the office, the following information on broadband data and infrastructure deployment in the State:

(1) The services and service offerings it provides within the State;

(2) A street-level map of its fiber cable deployed within the State; and

(3) The upload and download speeds of each of its project areas as defined in section 206R-1.

(b) The department shall adopt rules in accordance with chapter 91 to implement this section."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Broadband Service Providers; Disclosures; Broadband and Digital Equity Office

Description:

Requires broadband service providers to annually disclose to the Broadband and Digital Equity Office certain broadband data and the street-level locations where it has deployed fiber cable.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.