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GA SB459
Bill
Status
Introduced
2/27/2020
Primary Sponsor
Steve Gooch
Click for details
AI Summary
- Modernizes Georgia's Universal Access Fund to include deployment of broadband services to unserved areas alongside its existing purpose of ensuring reasonably priced basic local exchange telephone services
- Creates a "Rural Broadband Portion" of the Universal Access Fund capped at $10 million per calendar year beginning January 1, 2021, with distributions based on funding award recommendations from the Department of Community Affairs and a sunset date of December 31, 2024
- Establishes a "Rural Local Exchange Portion" of the fund capped at $30 million per calendar year beginning January 1, 2021, for Tier 2 local exchange companies subject to rate of return regulation, with a sunset date of December 31, 2029
- Expands eligibility for the Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative funding awards to include private entities in addition to public bodies, removing the restriction that limited eligible applicants to political subdivisions
- Becomes effective upon the Governor's approval for rulemaking purposes and on July 1, 2021, for all other purposes
Legislative Description
Public Utilities and Public Transportation and State Government; funding for the deployment of certain communications services throughout this state; provide
Last Action
Senate Read and Referred
2/28/2020
Full Bill Text
No bill text available