HCS/HB 461 - This act establishes the Broadband Development Council consisting of members from certain state agencies, members of the general public representing certain classification of broadband users, and three members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives, as described in the act. The Council shall select a chair and vice chair from its members as described in the act. The Council shall appoint a secretary-treasurer, who does not need to be a member of the Council and who shall keep records of the Council's proceedings. Certain procedures and appointments of the Council are described in the act. The act specifies responsibilities of the Council, such as expanding access to broadband services. The Council shall make recommendations to the General Assembly relating to availability of broadband services as described in the act. The Council may retain expert consultants to assist with its duties under the act, take action to increase awareness of issues relating to broadband services, and to seek non-state funding to fund projects and initiatives. The Council shall establish a university-based research organization or contract with an organization, that shall annually survey each county and school district in the state to assess availability of internet as described in the act.
Under the act, information provided to the Council and its consultants and agents is confidential as described in the act. Any person who makes unauthorized disclosure of such information shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
The act also establishes the Department of Transportation Fiber Network Expansion Act providing that the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission may enter into public-private partnerships with private broadband internet service providers to expand and develop the fiber network of the Department of Transportation. The Commission shall prioritize expansion and development of broadband internet service in unserved and under-served areas. The Commission shall use a competitive procurement process to form public-private partnership for purposes of this act and publish a public notice of the Commission's request for proposals, including any deadline for submission of each proposal with specifics described in the act.
This act has provisions identical to HB 1037 (2023) and SB 219 (2023), and similar to HB 2638 (2022).
JULIA SHEVELEVA