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R E S O L U T I O N
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BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, That Senate Rule 12.03 be |
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suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to enable the |
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conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on House |
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Bill 5 (the expansion of broadband services to certain areas) to |
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consider and take action on the following matters: |
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(1) Senate Rules 12.03(1) and (4) are suspended to permit |
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the committee to add text on a matter not included in either the |
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house or senate version of the bill in proposed SECTION 5 of the |
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bill, by adding Sections 490I.0105(a)(1)(B) and (2)(B), Government |
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Code, to read as follows: |
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(a) The broadband development office shall create, update |
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annually, and publish on the comptroller's Internet website a map |
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classifying each designated area in this state as: |
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(1) an eligible area, if: |
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(A) fewer than 80 percent of the addresses in the |
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designated area have access to broadband service; and |
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(B) the federal government has not awarded |
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funding under a competitive process to support the deployment of |
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broadband service to addresses in the designated area; or |
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(2) an ineligible area, if: |
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(A) 80 percent or more of the addresses in the |
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designated area have access to broadband service; or |
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(B) the federal government has awarded funding |
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under a competitive process to support the deployment of broadband |
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service to addresses in the designated area. |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to ensure that an area |
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is not classified as an area for which state financial assistance |
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may be provided for the purpose of expanding access to and adoption |
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of broadband service under Chapter 490I, Government Code, as added |
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by the bill, if the federal government has awarded funding for the |
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purposes of supporting the deployment of broadband service in the |
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area. |
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(2) Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the |
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committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house |
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or senate version of the bill in proposed SECTION 5 of the bill, by |
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adding Section 490I.0105(m), Government Code, to read as follows: |
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(m) A designated area that is classified as an ineligible |
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area on account of the existence of federal funding to support |
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broadband service deployment in the area may be reclassified as an |
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eligible area if: |
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(1) funding from the federal government is forfeited |
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or the recipient of the funding is disqualified from receiving the |
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funding; and |
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(2) the designated area otherwise meets the |
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qualifications of an eligible area. |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to ensure that an area |
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classified as ineligible for state financial assistance provided |
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for the purpose of expanding access to and adoption of broadband |
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service under Chapter 490I, Government Code, as added by the bill, |
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on account of the availability of federal funding for supporting |
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the deployment of broadband service in the area may be reclassified |
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as eligible to receive the assistance if the federal government |
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funding is no longer available. |