McCoy co-sponsoring a package
of key broadband bills

TEC Committee chair working toward
strengthening Internet access

OLYMPIA – “Broadband access is a major impetus for improving job creation, economic development, and a community’s quality of life,” emphasized state Rep. John McCoy today (Wednesday, Jan. 28), “and that’s why I’m co-sponsoring legislation aimed at bridging our state’s digital divide.”
McCoy, D-Tulalip, chairs the House Technology, Energy & Communications Committee, and he said the goal in his legislation is to advance Washington’s competitive edge by advancing Washington’s Internet access.
“It is so crucial that we bridge our state’s digital divide, which is the gap between citizens who have broadband access and citizens who don’t,” said McCoy.
“Dial-up Internet service just doesn’t cut it,” he emphasized. “Delivering high-speed access to thousands more Washington citizens is one of our biggest continuing challenges. Among many other positive outcomes, stronger access means creating the stronger education system we need to launch lasting, high-quality economic development.
“Further,” McCoy added, “new technologies and Web applications such as telemedicine, telecommuting, and online education usually require higher bandwidths.”
The four broadband bills, which are all waiting for a public hearing in McCoy’s legislative committee, are:
* House Bill 1698, which would create both a broadband adoption and deployment authority, and a council on digital inclusion. A digital inclusion account would also be set up and be funded by leasehold excise taxes on the publicly owned property of telecommunications companies. The account would help fund the activities detailed in the measure.
McCoy said the bill bolsters the deployment and adoption of high-speed Internet services “and enhances economic development, public safety, education, and health care in our communities. Our objective also includes the fostering of stronger strategic partnerships among public, private, nonprofit, and community-based organizations.”
* House Bill 1699, which would launch the first steps toward implementing a statewide high-speed Internet deployment and adoption strategy. Terms of the bill would require the state Department of Information Services (DIS) to execute this strategy – including creating a statewide map that shows information on Internet adoption, Internet availability, and the types of technology currently in use.
The department could provide help for local technology-planning teams in determining the resources and assistance communities need to make their way across the digital divide.
* House Bill 1700, which would help determine the level of high-speed Internet infrastructure that is publicly owned or leased. A survey would be conducted by the Department of Information Services to create a geographic information-system map of the entire high-speed Internet infrastructure that is owned or leased by the state.
* House Bill 1701, which would require DIS to create an interactive Web site that allows citizens to report whether or not they have high-speed Internet in their home.