House Bill 122

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A GOAL FOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI THAT BY NO LATER THAN THE YEAR 2026, ALL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES HAVE ACCESS TO BROADBAND AT CERTAIN SPECIFIED DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD SPEEDS; TO REQUIRE THE LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITIES OF CERTAIN IMPOVERISHED COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO ENTER INTO PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH SELECT COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICE PROVIDERS AND "TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENTERPRISES" FOR PURPOSES OF PROVIDING BROADBAND SERVICES TO THOSE IMPOVERISHED AREAS; TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF LOCAL AND STATE FUNDS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BROADBAND INITIATIVE; TO AUTHORIZE THE LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITIES TO APPLY FOR LOANS AND GRANTS FROM THE RURAL UTILITY SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE; TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES TO SERVE AS THE NETWORK BACKBONE AND CENTRAL SERVER TO SATELLITE NETWORKS; TO REQUIRE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SERVE AS THE LOCAL HUB FOR THE IMPOVERISHED AREAS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 19-3-41, 21-17-1 AND 37-7-301, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 57-87-3, 57-87-5 AND 57-87-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

In the House of Representatives

• John W. Hines, Sr.

  Sponsor

l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.

In the House of Representatives Jan 2 – Jan 30

1. Jan 2Referred to the House committees on Technology and on Appropriations
2. Jan 30Died in committee in the House