SF 1918

2nd Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to telecommunications; creating the Ultra High-Speed Broadband Task
Force.

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

Section 1. new text begin ULTRA HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND GOAL TASK FORCE.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment; membership. new text end

new text begin (a) The governor shall convene an
Ultra High-Speed Broadband Task Force to make recommendations to the governor and
the legislature regarding the creation of a state ultra high-speed broadband goal and a plan
to implement that goal.
new text end

new text begin (b) The Ultra High-Speed Broadband Task Force consists of:
new text end

new text begin (1) one member representing higher educational systems, one member representing
regional public libraries, and one member representing K-12 institutions or consortia;
new text end

new text begin (2) one member representing health care institutions located in the metropolitan area,
and one member representing health care institutions located in rural areas;
new text end

new text begin (3) three members appointed by the governor representing telephone companies, one
of whom shall represent telephone companies with 50,000 or fewer subscribers located
outside the metropolitan area;
new text end

new text begin (4) one member representing cable communications systems providers located
in the metropolitan area, and one member representing cable communications systems
providers located in rural areas;
new text end

new text begin (5) one member representing wireless service providers;
new text end

new text begin (6) one member representing metropolitan area Minnesota counties, and one member
representing rural area Minnesota counties;
new text end

new text begin (7) two members representing Minnesota cities, including one member representing
metropolitan area cities, and one member representing rural area Minnesota cities;
new text end

new text begin (8) four citizen-at-large members representing Internet users, equally divided
between business and residential users;
new text end

new text begin (9) one member representing a labor organization representing communications
workers;
new text end

new text begin (10) the commissioner of commerce or the commissioner's designee;
new text end

new text begin (11) the commissioner of employment and economic development or the
commissioner's designee; and
new text end

new text begin (12) the commissioner of administration or the commissioner's designee.
new text end

new text begin For the purposes of this paragraph, "metropolitan area" means the counties of
Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington, and "rural area"
means an area outside of the metropolitan area.
new text end

new text begin (c) The governor shall appoint the members described in paragraph (b), clauses (1)
to (9), and shall designate one of the citizen-at-large members to serve as chair of the task
force who shall convene the first meeting after all members have been appointed.
new text end

new text begin (d) The Department of Commerce shall provide logistical and administrative support
to the task force.
new text end

new text begin (e) By November 1, 2009, the task force shall submit a report to the governor and the
chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house committees with primary
jurisdiction over telecommunications policy containing recommendations, including
possible legislation, for the development of a comprehensive statewide plan designed to
achieve a state ultra high-speed broadband goal that the task force considers appropriate.
The report must include, at a minimum:
new text end

new text begin (1) a description of the policies and actions necessary to achieve the goal, including
the elimination of obstacles to investment;
new text end

new text begin (2) a description of the opportunities for the public and private sectors to cooperate
to achieve the goal;
new text end

new text begin (3) an evaluation of strategies, financing methods, and financial incentives used in
other states and countries to support the deployment of high-speed broadband;
new text end

new text begin (4) an evaluation and recommendation of the security, vulnerability, and redundancy
actions necessary to ensure the reliability of ultra high-speed broadband;
new text end

new text begin (5) a description of economic development opportunities made possible by the wide
dissemination of ultra high-speed broadband; and
new text end

new text begin (6) an evaluation of how access to ultra high-speed broadband can benefit
educational institutions, healthcare institutions, community-based organizations, and
government institutions.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Expiration. new text end

new text begin This section expires March 1, 2010.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end