Florida Senate - 2020                                    SB 1776
       
       
        
       By Senator Montford
       
       
       
       
       
       3-01712-20                                            20201776__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to broadband Internet service;
    3         repealing chapter 2012-131, Laws of Florida, relating
    4         to broadband Internet service; amending s. 364.0135,
    5         F.S.; requiring the Department of Management Services
    6         to develop geographic information system maps in
    7         collaboration with specified entities and consistent
    8         with certain federal reporting standards by a
    9         specified date; specifying required contents of the
   10         maps; requiring the department to annually update such
   11         maps and establish a mechanism to receive and verify
   12         public input related to broadband Internet service;
   13         authorizing the department to work collaboratively
   14         with specified entities in developing the mechanism;
   15         specifying actions the department must take relative
   16         to proceedings of the Federal Communications
   17         Commission related to broadband Internet service;
   18         providing an effective date.
   19          
   20  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   21  
   22         Section 1. Chapter 2012-131, Laws of Florida, is repealed.
   23         Section 2. Present subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section
   24  364.0135, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4),
   25  (5), and (6), respectively, a new subsection (3) is added to
   26  that section, and paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of that
   27  section is amended, to read:
   28         364.0135 Promotion of broadband adoption.—
   29         (2) The Department of Management Services is authorized to
   30  work collaboratively with, and to receive staffing support and
   31  other resources from, Enterprise Florida, Inc., state agencies,
   32  local governments, private businesses, and community
   33  organizations to:
   34         (a) Monitor the adoption of broadband Internet service in
   35  collaboration with communications service providers, including,
   36  but not limited to, wireless and wireline Internet service
   37  providers, to develop geographical information system maps at
   38  the census tract level that will:
   39         1.Identify geographic gaps in broadband services,
   40  including areas unserved by any broadband provider and areas
   41  served by a single broadband provider;
   42         2.Identify the download and upload transmission speeds
   43  made available to businesses and individuals in the state, at
   44  the census tract level of detail, using data rate benchmarks for
   45  broadband service used by the Federal Communications Commission
   46  to reflect different speed tiers; and
   47         3.Provide a baseline assessment of statewide broadband
   48  deployment in terms of percentage of households with broadband
   49  availability.
   50         (3)(a)By June 30, 2021, the department shall develop
   51  geographic information system maps, in collaboration with
   52  broadband Internet service providers and consistent with the
   53  Digital Opportunity Data Collection program reporting standards
   54  established by the Federal Communications Commission, that:
   55         1.Identify geographic areas and locations in the state
   56  where broadband-capable networks exist and broadband Internet
   57  service is available to end users.
   58         2.Identify the download and upload data transmission
   59  speeds available in each geographic area.
   60         (b)The department must update the geographic information
   61  system maps on an annual basis.
   62         (c)The department must establish a mechanism to receive
   63  and verify public input that identifies locations in which
   64  broadband Internet service is not available, including locations
   65  in which broadband Internet service is provided at data
   66  transmission speeds below the standard established by the
   67  Federal Communications Commission for broadband Internet
   68  service. Upon verification, the department shall adjust its
   69  geographic information system maps to reflect information
   70  received from the public. In developing and implementing this
   71  mechanism, the department may work in collaboration with, and
   72  receive staffing support and other resources from, Enterprise
   73  Florida, Inc., state agencies, local governments, private
   74  businesses, and community organizations.
   75         (d)The department shall monitor, participate in, and
   76  provide input in proceedings of the Federal Communications
   77  Commission related to the geographic availability and deployment
   78  of broadband Internet service in the state to ensure that the
   79  information is accurately presented and that rural, unserved,
   80  and underserved areas of the state are best positioned to
   81  benefit from broadband deployment programs administered by the
   82  Federal Communications Commission.
   83         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.