Bill Text: MS HB736 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Mississippi Connecting Rural Places Study Committees; create.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2015-02-03 - Died In Committee [HB736 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2015-HB736-Introduced.html

---

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2015 Regular Session

To: Public Utilities

By: Representative Holland

House Bill 736

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI CONNECTING RURAL PLACES STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY BROADBAND ACCESS IN MISSISSIPPI AND HOW TO REACH ALL RURAL PLACES IN MISSISSIPPI BY 2020; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  (1)  There is created the Mississippi Connecting Rural Places Study Committee to study broadband access in Mississippi and how to reach all rural places in Mississippi by 2020. 

     (2)  The committee shall report on its study to the Legislature not later than December 1, 2015, making recommendations for the 2016 Regular Session.

     (3)  The committee shall be composed of the following fifteen (15) members:

          (a)  Two (2) members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

          (b)  Two (2) members of the Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;

          (c)  Three (3) members appointed by the Public Service Commissioner, one (1) from each commissioner; and

          (d)  A representative from the Mississippi Broadband Connect Coalition appointed by the Governor.

     (4)  Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the sine die adjournment of the 2015 Regular Session, and within thirty (30) days thereafter on a day to be designated jointly by the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor, the committee shall meet and organize by selecting from its membership a chair and a vice chair.  The vice chair shall also serve as secretary and shall be responsible for keeping all records of the committee.  A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.  In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the committee shall be required.  All members shall be notified in writing, by mail or email, at least fifteen (15) days before the date on which a meeting is to be held. 

     (5)  To effectuate the purposes of this section, any department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof, shall, at the request of the chair of the committee, provide such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the committee to properly carry out its duties.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.