Bill Text: TX SB1238 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to broadband development.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 39-24)

Status: (Passed) 2023-06-02 - Effective immediately [SB1238 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-SB1238-Comm_Sub.html
 
 
  By: Nichols  S.B. No. 1238
         (In the Senate - Filed February 27, 2023; March 9, 2023,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
  March 31, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; March 31, 2023,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1238 By:  Nichols
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to broadband development.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 490I.0101(a) and (b), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  For purposes of this chapter, subject to Subsection (b),
  "broadband service" means Internet service with the capability of
  providing a:
               (1)  [a download] speed of not less than 25 megabits per
  second for a download [or faster]; [and]
               (2)  [an upload] speed of not less than three megabits
  per second for an upload; and
               (3)  network round-trip latency of less than or equal
  to 100 milliseconds based on the 95th percentile of speed
  measurements [or faster].
         (b)  If the Federal Communications Commission adopts
  standards [upload or download threshold speeds] for advanced
  telecommunications capability under 47 U.S.C. Section 1302 that are
  different than those specified by Subsection (a), the comptroller
  by rule may require Internet service to be capable of matching the
  [providing download or upload speeds that match that] federal
  standards [threshold] in order to qualify under this chapter as
  "broadband service."
         SECTION 2.  Sections 490I.0105(a), (b), (c), (d), (f), (k),
  (l), (n), (o), and (p), Government Code, are amended to read as
  follows:
         (a)  The broadband development office shall create, update
  annually, and publish on the comptroller's Internet website a map
  classifying each broadband serviceable location [designated area]
  in this state as:
               (1)  an unserved location [eligible area,] if[:
                     [(A)  fewer than 80 percent of the addresses in]
  the location does not [designated area] have access to reliable
  broadband service capable of providing the speeds described by
  Subdivision (2); [and
                     [(B)  the federal government has not awarded
  funding under a competitive process to support the deployment of
  broadband service to addresses in the designated area; or]
               (2)  an underserved location [ineligible area,] if the
  location is not an unserved location but does not[:
                     [(A)  80 percent or more of the addresses in the
  designated area] have access to reliable broadband service with the
  capability of providing:
                     (A)  a speed of not less than 100 megabits per
  second for a download;
                     (B)  a speed of not less than 20 megabits per
  second for an upload; and
                     (C)  a network round-trip latency of less than or
  equal to 100 milliseconds based on the 95th percentile of speed
  measurements; or
               (3)  a served location if the location is neither an
  unserved nor an underserved location [(B) the federal government
  has awarded funding under a competitive process to support the
  deployment of broadband service to addresses in the designated
  area].
         (b)  The comptroller by rule may establish new threshold
  speeds for a location to qualify as an underserved location if the
  comptroller has required Internet service to be capable of matching
  federal standards to qualify as broadband service under Section
  490I.0101(b) [determine the scope of a designated area under
  Subsection (a)].
         (c)  After creation of the initial map described in
  Subsection (a), the office may evaluate the usefulness of the
  standards for unserved and underserved locations [eligible and
  ineligible areas] outlined in Subsection (a) and, if appropriate,
  make a recommendation to the legislature to revise the standards.
         (d)  The map required by Subsection (a) must organize
  broadband serviceable locations into designated areas and display
  for each area:
               (1)  the number of broadband service providers that
  serve the [each designated] area;
               (2)  [for each eligible area,] an indication of whether
  the area has access to Internet service that is not broadband
  service, regardless of the technology used to provide the service;
  [and]
               (3)  each public school campus [in this state] with an
  indication of whether the public school campus has access to
  broadband service; and
               (4)  the number and percentage of unserved,
  underserved, and served locations within the area.
         (f)  Except as provided by Subsection (g), the office shall
  use the best available data, including information available from
  the Federal Communications Commission, to create or update the map.
         (k)  A person who contracts under Subsection (i) may not
  provide services in this state to [for] a broadband provider [in
  this state] before the second anniversary of the last day the
  contract is in effect.
         (l)  The office shall establish criteria for determining
  whether a broadband serviceable location [designated area] should
  be reclassified as an unserved or underserved location [eligible
  area or an ineligible area].  The criteria must include an
  evaluation of Internet speed test and reliability data [and
  information on end user addresses. The criteria may also include
  community surveys regarding the reliability of Internet service,
  where available].
         (n)  A broadband service provider or political subdivision
  may petition the office to reclassify a broadband serviceable
  location [designated area on the map as an eligible area or
  ineligible area]. The office shall provide notice of each accepted
  [the] petition to each affected broadband service provider and
  political subdivision by posting [that provides broadband service
  to the designated area and post] notice of the petition on the
  comptroller's Internet website.
         (o)  Not later than the 45th day after the date that the
  office posts [a broadband provider receives] notice under
  Subsection (n), each affected broadband service [the] provider or
  political subdivision may [shall] provide information to the office
  showing whether the broadband serviceable location [designated
  area] should or should not be reclassified.
         (p)  Not later than the 75th day after the date that the
  office posts the [a broadband provider receives] notice under
  Subsection (n), the office shall determine whether to reclassify
  the broadband serviceable location [designated area] on the map and
  update the map as necessary. A determination made by the office
  under this subsection is not a contested case for purposes of
  Chapter 2001.
         SECTION 3.  Section 490I.0106, Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 490I.0106.  BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. (a) The
  broadband development office shall establish a program to award
  grants, low-interest loans, and other financial incentives to
  applicants for the purpose of expanding access to and adoption of
  broadband service [in designated areas determined to be eligible
  areas by the office under Section 490I.0105].
         (a-1)  The office may award grants, low-interest loans, and
  other financial incentives to applicants for eligible broadband
  infrastructure projects designed to provide qualifying broadband
  service to unserved and underserved locations.  For the purposes of
  this subsection, an eligible broadband infrastructure project
  includes a project in which not less than 80 percent of the
  broadband serviceable locations to be served by the project are
  unserved and underserved locations.
         (a-2)  The office may award grants, low-interest loans, and
  other financial incentives to applicants for middle-mile broadband
  infrastructure projects.
         (a-3)  The office may award grants, low-interest loans, and
  other financial incentives to applicants for projects not involving
  the deployment of broadband infrastructure that expand the
  accessibility, affordability, or adoption of broadband service,
  including education, training, community outreach, remote learning
  or telehealth facilities, equipment purchases, or any other use
  permitted by the applicable funding source.
         (b)  The office shall establish eligibility and award [and
  publish] criteria for making awards under this chapter for each
  applicable notice of funds availability.  The comptroller by rule
  may prescribe the manner in which the office shall provide notice to
  applicants of the applicable criteria [Subsection (a)]. In
  establishing eligibility and award criteria, the [The] office
  shall:
               (1)  take into consideration grants and other financial
  incentives awarded by the federal government for the deployment of
  broadband service [in a designated area];
               (2)  prioritize the applications of applicants that
  will expand access to and adoption of broadband service in
  designated [eligible] areas in which the highest [lowest]
  percentage of broadband serviceable locations are unserved or
  underserved locations; [addresses have access to broadband
  service; and]
               (3)  prioritize the applications of applicants that
  will expand access to broadband service in public and private
  primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education;
               (4)  give preference to an applicant that provided the
  information requested by the office under Section 490I.0105 or
  490I.01061; and
               (5)  take into consideration whether an applicant has
  forfeited federal funding for defaulting on a project to deploy
  qualifying broadband service.
         (c)  Notwithstanding Subsection (b)(2), the office may
  establish criteria that take into account a cost benefit analysis
  for awarding money to the [eligible] areas described by that
  subdivision.
         (d)  The office may not:
               (1)  except as provided by Section 490I.01062, favor a
  particular broadband technology in awarding grants, loans, or other
  financial incentives;
               (2)  [award grants, loans, or other financial
  incentives to a broadband provider that does not report information
  requested by the office under Section 490I.0105;
               [(3)]  award a grant, loan, or other financial
  incentive to a noncommercial provider of broadband service for a
  broadband serviceable location [an eligible area] if an eligible
  [a] commercial provider of broadband service has submitted an
  application for the same location; [eligible area; or]
               (3) [(4)]  take into consideration distributions from
  the state universal service fund established under Section 56.021,
  Utilities Code, when deciding to award grants, loans, or other
  financial incentives; or
               (4)  except as provided by Section 490I.01061, award a
  grant, loan, or other financial incentive for deployment of
  last-mile broadband service for a location that is subject to a
  federal commitment to deploy qualifying broadband service on the
  date the application is submitted or during the application
  process.
         (e)  The office shall:
               (1)  post on the comptroller's Internet website
  information about the application process and the receipt of awards
  and shall update that information as necessary; and
               (2)  post on the comptroller's Internet website for at
  least 30 days information from each accepted application, including
  the applicant's name, the area targeted for expanded broadband
  service access or adoption by the application, and any other
  information the office considers relevant or necessary[, for a
  period of at least 30 days before the office makes a decision on the
  application].
         (f)  During the 30-day posting period described by
  Subsection (e) for an application, the office shall accept from any
  interested party, other than a broadband service provider that does
  not report information requested by the office under Section
  490I.0105 or 490I.01061, a written protest of the application
  relating to whether the applicant or project is eligible for an
  award or should not receive an award based on the criteria
  prescribed by the office.
         (g)  Notwithstanding any deadline for submitting an
  application, if the office upholds a protest submitted under
  Subsection (f) on the grounds that one or more of the broadband
  serviceable locations are not eligible to receive funding under
  this chapter [addresses in an eligible area subject to the
  application have access to broadband service], the applicant may
  resubmit the application without the challenged locations
  [addresses] not later than 30 days after the date that the office
  upheld the protest.
         (h)  The office shall establish and publish criteria for
  award recipients. The criteria must include requirements that
  grants, loans, and other financial incentives awarded through the
  program for the deployment of broadband infrastructure may be used
  only for capital expenses, purchase or lease of property, and other
  expenses, including backhaul and transport, that will facilitate
  the provision or adoption of broadband service.
         (i)  An award granted under this section does not affect the
  eligibility of a telecommunications provider to receive support
  from the state universal service fund under Section 56.021,
  Utilities Code.
         SECTION 4.  Chapter 490I, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Sections 490I.01061 and 490I.01062 to read as follows:
         Sec. 490I.01061.  EXISTING FEDERAL FUNDING; REPORTING
  REQUIREMENTS.  (a) The broadband development office may award a
  grant, loan, or other financial incentive for deployment of
  last-mile broadband service for a location that is subject to a
  federal commitment to deploy qualifying broadband service if:
               (1)  federal funding is forfeited or the recipient of
  the federal funding is disqualified from receiving the funding; and
               (2)  the location otherwise may receive funding under
  the program.
         (b)  An applicant for an award under this chapter that has
  been awarded federal funding directly and has entered into an
  enforceable commitment to deploy broadband services in a location
  shall provide to the office information the office may require
  regarding:
               (1)  the existing enforceable commitment; and
               (2)  the proposed deployment of broadband.
         Sec. 490I.01062.  FIBER OPTIC PREFERENCE. (a) The
  broadband development office shall prioritize broadband
  infrastructure projects that connect each end-user location using
  end-to-end fiber optic facilities that meet speed, latency,
  reliability, consistency, scalability, and related criteria as the
  office shall determine for each applicable notice of funds
  availability.
         (b)  The office may consider an application for a broadband
  infrastructure project that does not employ end-to-end fiber optic
  facilities if the use of an alternative technology:
               (1)  is proposed for a high cost area;
               (2)  may be deployed at a lower cost; and
               (3)  meets the criteria established by the office under
  Subsection (a).
         SECTION 5.  Section 490I.0107(b), Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  In developing the state broadband plan, the office
  shall:
               (1)  to the extent possible, collaborate with state
  agencies, political subdivisions, broadband industry stakeholders
  and representatives, and community organizations that focus on
  broadband services and technology access;
               (2)  [consider the policy recommendations of the
  governor's broadband development council;
               [(3)]  favor policies that are technology-neutral and
  protect all members of the public;
               (3)  [(4)]  explore state and regional approaches to
  broadband development; and
               (4)  [(5)]  examine broadband service needs related
  to:
                     (A)  public safety, including the needs of state
  agencies involved in the administration of criminal justice, as
  that term is defined by Article 66.001, Code of Criminal Procedure;
                     (B)  public education and state and local
  education agencies, including any agency involved in the electronic
  administration of an assessment instrument required under Section
  39.023, Education Code; and
                     (C)  public health, including the needs of state
  agencies involved in the administration of public health
  initiatives such as the Health and Human Services Commission and
  the Department of State Health Services.
         SECTION 6.  Sections 490I.0110(b) and (h), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The broadband development office board of advisors is
  composed of 10 members, appointed as follows:
               (1)  two members appointed by the governor, including:
                     (A)  one member to represent the Texas Economic
  Development and Tourism Office; and
                     (B)  one member of the public with experience in
  telecommunications or [to represent nonprofit corporations that
  work on the expansion, adoption, affordability, and use of]
  broadband service;
               (2)  three members appointed by the lieutenant
  governor, including:
                     (A)  one member who resides in an urban area;
                     (B)  one member to represent the public primary
  and secondary education community; and
                     (C)  one member who resides in a county that:
                           (i)  is adjacent to an international border;
                           (ii)  is located not more than 150 miles from
  the Gulf of Mexico; and
                           (iii)  has a population of more than 60,000;
               (3)  three members appointed by the speaker of the
  house of representatives, including:
                     (A)  one member who resides in a rural area;
                     (B)  one member to represent the health and
  telemedicine industry; and
                     (C)  one member to represent the public higher
  education community;
               (4)  the comptroller or the comptroller's designee; and
               (5)  one nonvoting member appointed by the broadband
  development office to represent the office.
         (h)  The [Beginning one year after the effective date of the
  Act enacting this chapter, the] board of advisors shall meet at
  least semiannually [once every other month] with representatives
  from the broadband development office for the purpose of advising
  the work of the office in implementing the provisions of this
  chapter.
         SECTION 7.  The following provisions of the Government Code
  are repealed:
               (1)  Chapter 490H;
               (2)  Section 490I.0101(c); and
               (3)  Section 490I.0105(m).
         SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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