101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB5770

 

Introduced , by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
220 ILCS 80/25 new

    Amends the Broadband Advisory Council Act. Directs the Council to develop a plan to provide access to broadband services at no cost to all residents of this State. Provides that the Office of Broadband within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall support and assist the Council in the development of the plan. Requires that priority be given to zip codes identified as having high levels of poverty and areas lacking the infrastructure necessary to meet requirements for high-speed access to the Internet. Requires the Council to identify existing and new streams of State revenue necessary to implement the plan. Provides that the Council shall report the plan and recommendations for legislation necessary to implement the plan to the General Assembly by March 31, 2021. Effective immediately.


LRB101 21200 JLS 71768 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5770LRB101 21200 JLS 71768 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Broadband Advisory Council Act is amended by
5adding Section 25 as follows:
 
6    (220 ILCS 80/25 new)
7    Sec. 25. Universal no-cost broadband Internet access.
8    (a) In furtherance of the purposes of this Act to expand
9broadband service to unserved rural and urban areas of this
10State and to achieve universal broadband service and Internet
11access for the residents of this State, the Broadband Advisory
12Council shall develop a plan for the provision of free access
13by all residents of this State to broadband service. The Office
14of Broadband within the Department of Commerce and Economic
15Opportunity shall support and assist the Council in the
16development of the plan.
17    (b) The plan must give priority to establishing access to
18broadband service in zip codes identified as having high levels
19of poverty and in the areas of the State without the
20infrastructure necessary to meet the requirements for
21high-speed access to the Internet. To the extent possible, the
22plan shall coordinate with, incorporate, and expand the
23initiatives established in the Connect Illinois Broadband

 

 

HB5770- 2 -LRB101 21200 JLS 71768 b

1Strategic Plan. The Council's plan shall identify existing and
2new streams of State revenue to underwrite the creation of
3necessary infrastructure and provide unlimited broadband
4Internet access, without charge, to all residents of the State.
5The Council's plan shall include a schedule for its
6implementation by July 1, 2022.
7    (c) The Council shall report the plan and recommendations
8for any necessary legislation to the General Assembly no later
9than March 31, 2021.
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.