Hawaii-2022-SR36-Introduced

WHEREAS, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provides publicly available web-based maps from service providers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon to demonstrate 4G LTE coverage throughout the country; and

WHEREAS, many service providers have shared these data maps that boasted coverage with the Legislature to demonstrate the inexistence of "underserved" and "unserved" areas in the State; and

WHEREAS, residents on Hawai‘i Island, Moloka‘i, and Hana, Maui have historically experienced disruption in service, dropped calls, and dead areas in rural communities; and

WHEREAS, the experiences of Hawai‘i residents in rural areas clearly demonstrate that the FCC data maps lack information, data, and geographical knowledge regarding "underserved" and "unserved" communities; and

WHEREAS, the State has the responsibility to provide equitable access to broadband internet and service for residents as opportunities continue to arise in the areas of teleworking, distance learning, and telehealth; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office (Office) compiles the collective priorities articulated by the Broadband Hui, in alignment with the 2020 Hawai‘i Broadband Strategic Plan, to set a foundation for collective action among private- and public-sector partners by providing a vision and goals that promote digital equity throughout the State of Hawai‘i; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office is requested to conduct a data mapping study to identify geographically underserved and unserved areas in the State that lack quality broadband connectivity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as a part of the study, the Office is requested to collect data concerning infrastructure deployment and broadband service in the State from communication service providers to develop mapping information; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office is requested to consider the data it collects to determine the criteria for what constitutes an "unserved" area, as well as the percentage of households with access to broadband service within a county or other appropriate geographic area and other data sources that the Office deems credible and appropriate to help make this determination; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as a part of the study, the Office is requested to create a map that identifies geographic areas based on the most recent infrastructure deployment and broadband service data collected or other credible sources used by the Office; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in designating an "unserved" area, the Office is requested to consider areas that are not larger than a United States census block as determined by 2020 United States Census data, identified on the broadband infrastructure and service map developed, and located where broadband internet access service with download speeds of at least twenty-five megabits per second and upload speeds of at least three megabits per second is not available from at least one broadband Internet service provider; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office is requested to consider the data it collects to determine an "underserved" area, as well as the percentage of households with access of broadband service within a county or other appropriate geographic area and other data sources that the Office deems credible and appropriate to help make this determination; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in designating an "underserved" area, the Office is requested to consider areas that have broadband service with download speeds greater than fifty megabits per second and upload speeds greater than ten megabits per second, but download speeds of less than one hundred megabits per second and upload speeds less than one hundred megabits per second; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to expend the sum of $150,000 from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority's budget to the Office for contracting services to complete the request for data mapping and further telecommunications research; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than December 21, 2023; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Federal Communications Commission; Governor; Broadband Strategy Officer of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i; Mayor of the County of Maui; Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu; Mayor of the County of Kaua‘i; Chairperson and CEO of AT&T; Chairperson and CEO of Verizon; Director of T-Mobile; and Chairperson of United States Cellular Corporation.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Broadband Equity; Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office; Broadband Service; Data Collection; Unserved Areas; Underserved Areas; Broadband Infrastructure and Service Map

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	36
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII