Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1166
By Senator Albritton
26-00629D-20 20201166__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to broadband Internet service;
3 amending s. 339.0801, F.S.; authorizing certain funds
4 within the State Transportation Trust Fund to be used
5 for certain broadband infrastructure projects within
6 or adjacent to multiuse corridors; requiring the
7 Department of Transportation to give priority to
8 certain projects; amending s. 364.0135, F.S.; defining
9 terms; designating the Department of Economic
10 Opportunity, and not the Department of Management
11 Services, as the lead state entity to facilitate the
12 expansion of broadband Internet service in this state;
13 requiring the department to work collaboratively with
14 certain entities; creating the Florida Office of
15 Broadband within the Division of Community Development
16 within the Department of Economic Opportunity;
17 providing the purpose and duties of the office; making
18 technical changes; repealing chapter 2012-131, Laws of
19 Florida, relating to broadband Internet service;
20 providing an effective date.
21
22 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
23
24 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
25 339.0801, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
26 339.0801 Allocation of increased revenues derived from
27 amendments to s. 319.32(5)(a) by ch. 2012-128.—Funds that result
28 from increased revenues to the State Transportation Trust Fund
29 derived from the amendments to s. 319.32(5)(a) made by this act
30 must be used annually, first as set forth in subsection (1) and
31 then as set forth in subsections (2)-(5), notwithstanding any
32 other provision of law:
33 (2)
34 (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 fiscal year and annually
35 thereafter, $35 million shall be transferred to Florida’s
36 Turnpike Enterprise, to be used in accordance with s. 338.2278,
37 with preference to feeder roads, interchanges, and appurtenances
38 that create or facilitate multiuse corridor access and
39 connectivity. Of those funds, and to the maximum extent
40 feasible, up to $5 million annually may be used for projects
41 that assist in the development of broadband infrastructure
42 within or adjacent to a multiuse corridor. The department shall
43 give priority consideration to broadband infrastructure projects
44 located in an area designated as a rural area of opportunity
45 under s. 288.0656 and adjacent to a multiuse corridor.
46 Section 2. Section 364.0135, Florida Statutes, is amended
47 to read:
48 364.0135 Promotion of broadband adoption; Florida Office of
49 Broadband.—
50 (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that the
51 sustainable adoption of broadband Internet service is critical
52 to the economic and business development of this the state and
53 is beneficial for libraries, schools, colleges and universities,
54 health care providers, and community organizations.
55 (2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
56 (a) “Department” means the Department of Economic
57 Opportunity.
58 (b) “Office” means the Florida Office of Broadband.
59 (c) “Sustainable adoption” means the ability for
60 communications service providers to offer broadband services in
61 all areas of this the state by encouraging adoption and use
62 utilization levels that allow for these services to be offered
63 in the free market absent the need for governmental subsidy.
64 (3)(2) STATE ENTITY.—The department is designated as the
65 lead state entity to facilitate the expansion of broadband
66 Internet service in this state. The department shall of
67 Management Services is authorized to work collaboratively with
68 private businesses, and to receive staffing support and other
69 resources from, Enterprise Florida, Inc., state agencies, local
70 governments, private businesses, and community organizations.
71 (4) FLORIDA OFFICE OF BROADBAND.—The Florida Office of
72 Broadband is created within the Division of Community
73 Development within the department for the purpose of developing,
74 marketing, and promoting broadband Internet services to this
75 state. The office, in the performance of its duties, shall do
76 all of the following to:
77 (a) Monitor the adoption of broadband Internet service in
78 collaboration with communications service providers, including,
79 but not limited to, wireless and wireline Internet service
80 providers, to develop geographical information system maps at
81 the census tract level that will:
82 1. Identify geographic gaps in broadband services,
83 including areas unserved by any broadband provider and areas
84 served by a single broadband provider;
85 2. Identify the download and upload transmission speeds
86 made available to businesses and individuals in the state, at
87 the census tract level of detail, using data rate benchmarks for
88 broadband service used by the Federal Communications Commission
89 to reflect different speed tiers; and
90 3. Provide a baseline assessment of statewide broadband
91 deployment in terms of percentage of households with broadband
92 availability.
93 (b) Create a strategic plan that has goals and strategies
94 for increasing the use of broadband Internet service in this the
95 state.
96 (b)(c) Build and facilitate local technology planning teams
97 or partnerships with members representing cross-sections of the
98 community, which may include, but are not limited to,
99 representatives from the following organizations and industries:
100 libraries, K-12 education, colleges and universities, local
101 health care providers, private businesses, community
102 organizations, economic development organizations, local
103 governments, tourism, parks and recreation, and agriculture.
104 (c)(d) Encourage the use of broadband Internet service,
105 especially in the rural, unserved, or and underserved
106 communities of this the state through grant programs having
107 effective strategies to facilitate the statewide deployment of
108 broadband Internet service. For any grants to be awarded,
109 priority must be given to projects that:
110 1. Provide access to broadband education, awareness,
111 training, access, equipment, and support to libraries, schools,
112 colleges and universities, health care providers, and community
113 support organizations.
114 2. Encourage the sustainable adoption of broadband in
115 primarily underserved unserved areas by removing barriers to
116 entry.
117 3. Work toward encouraging investments in establishing
118 affordable and sustainable broadband Internet service in
119 underserved unserved areas of this the state.
120 4. Facilitate the development of applications, programs,
121 and services, including, but not limited to, telework,
122 telemedicine, and e-learning to increase the usage of, and
123 demand for, broadband Internet service in this the state.
124 (5)(3) ADMINISTRATION.—The department may:
125 (a) Apply for and accept federal funds for purposes of this
126 section, as well as gifts and donations from individuals,
127 foundations, and private organizations.
128 (b)(4) The department may Enter into contracts necessary or
129 useful to carry out the purposes of this section.
130 (c)(5) The department may Establish any committee or
131 workgroup to administer and carry out the purposes of this
132 section.
133 Section 3. Chapter 2012-131, Laws of Florida, is repealed.
134 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.