103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1437

 

Introduced 2/7/2023, by Sen. Rachel Ventura

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
20 ILCS 605/605-1110 new
30 ILCS 105/5.990 new

    Creates the Universal Broadband Act. Creates the Office of Broadband Access within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Provides that the Office of Broadband Access shall oversee the construction, development, and operation of a Statewide retail broadband network to provide reliable broadband service to all areas of the State. Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois to make conforming changes.


LRB103 27903 HLH 54281 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1437LRB103 27903 HLH 54281 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Universal Broadband Act.
 
6    Section 10. Intent. The General Assembly finds and
7declares that:
8        (1) Broadband Internet access has become an integral
9    part of daily life.
10        (2) Broadband Internet access enhances economic
11    development, access to government services, education,
12    health care, and employment.
13        (3) Broadband Internet access is critical in
14    addressing the needs of people with disabilities.
15        (4) Broadband Internet access helps to promote public
16    safety and environmental sustainability.
17        (5) The State has a critical role in ensuring that
18    affordable broadband is deployed equitably and reliably.
19        (6) The State should encourage the expansion of
20    reliable broadband Internet service that is accessible
21    statewide by the year 2040.
 
22    Section 15. Definitions.

 

 

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1    "Broadband Internet service" means mass-market retail
2Internet service in Illinois that provides the capability, by
3wire or radio, to transmit data to and receive data from all or
4substantially all Internet endpoints, including any
5capabilities that are incidental to and enable the operation
6of communications service, but excluding dial-up Internet
7service.
8    "Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic
9Opportunity.
10    "Office" means the Office of Broadband Access created
11under Section 605-1110 of the Department of Commerce and
12Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of
13Illinois.
14    "Reliable broadband service" means broadband Internet
15service with speeds of not less than 100 megabits per second
16for downloads and 20 megabits per second for uploads and a
17latency sufficient to support real-time interactive
18applications.
 
19    Section 20. Universal broadband.
20    (a) The Office shall oversee the construction,
21development, and operation of a Statewide retail broadband
22network to provide reliable broadband service to all areas of
23the State, including areas of the State that have no broadband
24Internet service or inadequate broadband Internet service. The
25Office has the power and authority necessary to implement this

 

 

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1Section, including but not limited to, the authority to enter
2into contracts with one or more entities to acquire goods and
3services and to take actions it deems necessary and
4appropriate for the development, acquisition, construction,
5maintenance, and operation of the statewide retail broadband
6network.
7    (b) The Office may partner with units of local government
8to foster improvement and expansion of existing municipal
9broadband service.
10    (c) The Office shall identify Statewide broadband network
11locations that will enable service connections with sufficient
12capacity and at affordable rates. The Office should prioritize
13communities that are unserved or underserved.
 
14    Section 25. Rulemaking. The Department shall adopt rules
15for the implementation of this Act.
 
16    Section 30. Universal Broadband Fund. The Universal
17Broadband Fund is hereby created as a special fund in the State
18treasury. The Department and the Office shall administer the
19Fund to for the construction, maintenance, and operation of
20the Statewide retail broadband network described in Section
2120. The Fund shall receive revenue from the following sources:
22        (1) any appropriations from the State for the purposes
23    described in this Section;
24        (2) federal money to advance broadband deployment in

 

 

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1    the State;
2        (3) rates and fees charged by the State for broadband
3    service;
4        (4) rates and fees charged by the State for the use of
5    broadband infrastructure;
6        (5) any other legal source designated for deposit into
7    the Fund.
 
8    Section 900. The Department of Commerce and Economic
9Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois
10is amended by adding Section 605-1110 as follows:
 
11    (20 ILCS 605/605-1110 new)
12    Sec. 605-1110. Office of Broadband Access. The Department
13shall provide staff and administrative support an Office of
14Broadband Access. The Office of Broadband Access shall have
15the powers and duties described in the Universal Broadband
16Act.
 
17    Section 905. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
18Section 5.990 as follows:
 
19    (30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)
20    Sec. 5.990. The Universal Broadband Fund.