Date: 05/07/2012

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB12-129

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved to refer Senate Bill 12-129 to the CommitteePASS



05:14 PM -- Senate Bill 12-129

Representative Coram, bill sponsor, presented Senate Bill 12-129, which requires the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to create a geographic database that identifies areas of the state without access to broadband services (e.g., high-speed internet). In addition, with no specific deadline, the OIT must complete a map of existing broadband assets owned by the state. The OIT may organize an advisory panel to make recommendations concerning the need for subsidies or other support mechanisms to develop broadband access in unserved areas of the state.

05:14 PM -- Stephen Merrill, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), spoke in support of the mapping requirements in the bill in order to understand areas in the state that are not able to access broadband services. He also expressed concerns with the stakeholder groups represented in the bill.

05:18 PM -- Wendall Pryor, Chaffee County Economic Development Corporation, spoke in support of the bill and discussed how the bill will help underserved areas of the state obtain broadband access. Mr. Pryor answered questions from the committee.

BILL:SB12-129
TIME: 05:22:22 PM
MOVED:Coram
MOTION:Moved to refer Senate Bill 12-129 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-1.
SECONDED:Brown
VOTE
Brown
Yes
Coram
Yes
Fischer
Yes
Jones
Yes
Looper
Yes
McKinley
Excused
Ryden
Yes
Scott
No
Vaad
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Wilson
Yes
Baumgardner
Yes
Sonnenberg
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS