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SENATE RESOLUTION
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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 |
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House Bill 5 (the expansion of broadband services to certain |
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areas) to 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), |
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Government Code, to read as follows: |
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(a) The broadband development office shall create, |
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update annually, and publish on the comptroller's Internet |
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website a map 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 |
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the 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 |
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broadband service to addresses in the designated area. |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to ensure that an |
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area is not classified as an area for which state financial |
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assistance may be provided for the purpose of expanding access to |
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and adoption of broadband service under Chapter 490I, Government |
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Code, as added by the bill, if the federal government has awarded |
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funding for the purposes of supporting the deployment of |
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broadband service in the 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, |
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by adding Section 490I.0105(m), Government Code, to read as |
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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 |
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an eligible area if: |
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(1) funding from the federal government is |
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forfeited or the recipient of the funding is disqualified from |
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receiving the 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 |
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area classified as ineligible for state financial assistance |
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provided for the purpose of expanding access to and adoption of |
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broadband service under Chapter 490I, Government Code, as added |
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by the bill, on account of the availability of federal funding |
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for supporting the deployment of broadband service in the area |
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may be reclassified as eligible to receive the assistance if the |
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federal government funding is no longer available. |
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_______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 28, 2021, by |
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the following vote: Yeas 31, |
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Nays 0. |
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_______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |