| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
| |
|
|
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the State of |
|
|
Texas, 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, That House Rule 13, |
|
|
Section 9(a), be suspended in part as provided by House Rule 13, |
|
|
Section 9(f), to enable the conference committee appointed to |
|
|
resolve the differences on House Bill 5 (the expansion of broadband |
|
|
services to certain areas) to consider and take action on the |
|
|
following matters: |
|
|
(1) House Rule 13, Sections 9(a)(1) and (4), are suspended |
|
|
to permit the committee to add text on a matter not included in |
|
|
either the house or senate version of the bill in proposed SECTION 5 |
|
|
of the bill, by adding Sections 490I.0105(a)(1)(B) and (2)(B), |
|
|
Government Code, to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The broadband development office shall create, update |
|
|
annually, and publish on the comptroller's Internet website a map |
|
|
classifying each designated area in this state as: |
|
|
(1) an eligible area, if: |
|
|
(A) fewer than 80 percent of the addresses in the |
|
|
designated area have access to broadband service; and |
|
|
(B) the federal government has not awarded |
|
|
funding under a competitive process to support the deployment of |
|
|
broadband service to addresses in the designated area; or |
|
|
(2) an ineligible area, if: |
|
|
(A) 80 percent or more of the addresses in the |
|
|
designated area have access to broadband service; or |
|
|
(B) the federal government has awarded funding |
|
|
under a competitive process to support the deployment of broadband |
|
|
service to addresses in the designated area. |
|
|
Explanation: This change is necessary to ensure that an area |
|
|
is not classified as an area for which state financial assistance |
|
|
may be provided for the purpose of expanding access to and adoption |
|
|
of broadband service under Chapter 490I, Government Code, as added |
|
|
by the bill, if the federal government has awarded funding for the |
|
|
purposes of supporting the deployment of broadband service in the |
|
|
area. |
|
|
(2) House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(4), is suspended to permit |
|
|
the committee to add text on a matter not included in either the |
|
|
house or senate version of the bill in proposed SECTION 5 of the |
|
|
bill, by adding Section 490I.0105(m), Government Code, to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(m) A designated area that is classified as an ineligible |
|
|
area on account of the existence of federal funding to support |
|
|
broadband service deployment in the area may be reclassified as an |
|
|
eligible area if: |
|
|
(1) funding from the federal government is forfeited |
|
|
or the recipient of the funding is disqualified from receiving the |
|
|
funding; and |
|
|
(2) the designated area otherwise meets the |
|
|
qualifications of an eligible area. |
|
|
Explanation: This change is necessary to ensure that an area |
|
|
classified as ineligible for state financial assistance provided |
|
|
for the purpose of expanding access to and adoption of broadband |
|
|
service under Chapter 490I, Government Code, as added by the bill, |
|
|
on account of the availability of federal funding for supporting |
|
|
the deployment of broadband service in the area may be reclassified |
|
|
as eligible to receive the assistance if the federal government |
|
|
funding is no longer available. |