Bill Text: MI SB0687 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Communications: other; certain office within the department of labor and economic opportunity; create. Creates new act.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-13 - Referred To Committee Of The Whole With Substitute (s-1) [SB0687 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-SB0687-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL NO. 687
A bill to create the Michigan high-speed internet office; to prescribe the powers and duties of the Michigan high-speed internet office; to allow the provision of grants and other financial and technical assistance related to broadband and digital infrastructure; and to provide the powers and duties of certain state officers and entities.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1. This act may be cited as the "Michigan high-speed internet office act".
(a) "Broadband internet access service" means a mass-market retail service by wire or radio that provides the capability to transmit data to, and receive data from, all or substantially all internet endpoints, including, but not limited to, any capability that is incidental to and that enables the operation of the communications service. Broadband internet access service does not include dial-up internet access service.
(b) "Broadband internet access service provider" means an entity that provides broadband internet access service in this state.
(c) "Department" means the department of labor and economic opportunity.
(d) "Modern broadband and digital infrastructure" means the technology and associated equipment used to provide broadband internet access service with speeds of at least 100 megabits per second downstream and 20 megabits per second upstream, scalable to 100 megabits per second speeds and latency sufficient to support real-time, interactive applications and that meet the educational, economic, and consumer needs of residents of this state.
(e) "Office" means the Michigan high-speed internet office created in section 3.
Sec. 3. (1) The Michigan high-speed internet office is created within the department.
(2) The director of the department shall appoint a director of the office. The individual appointed as the director of the office must be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties and exercise the powers of the office and the director of the office.
Sec. 5. The director of the office shall establish procedures for the office for budgeting, expending money, and employing personnel according to the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1101 to 18.1594.
Sec. 7. The office may, upon appropriation, award grants or provide other financial and technical assistance to carry out the purposes of this act.
Sec. 9. The office shall do all of the following:
(a) Implement modern broadband and digital infrastructure duties assigned to the office and coordinate with other state departments responsible for modern broadband and digital infrastructure matters.
(b) Facilitate collaboration among public and private entities to encourage partnerships, regional coordination, and streamlined policies to increase modern broadband and digital infrastructure.
(c) Identify best practices and external resources to support modern broadband and digital infrastructure in this state.
(d) Provide capacity building and digital literacy resources to the public and entities seeking to expand broadband internet access service and adoption.
(e) Promote and implement policies that utilize modern broadband and digital infrastructure to do any of the following:
(i) Revitalize neighborhoods and communities.
(ii) Support economic development opportunities.
(iii) Increase hiring and retention of skilled workers that support modern broadband and digital infrastructure in this state.
(iv) Integrate the deployment of modern broadband and digital infrastructure through existing infrastructure and economic development programs.
(f) Collect and analyze data to accurately determine the availability of broadband internet access service, including the development of methods that accurately identify parcel level wholesale and retail broadband infrastructure availability and adoption throughout this state.
(g) Issue reports on the status of broadband internet access service market competition in different regions throughout this state that distinguish between the type and quality of broadband internet access service provided and evaluate and provide recommendations on the wholesale and retail cost of broadband internet access service.
(h) Serve as a point of contact between the public and broadband internet access service providers to improve access, adoption, and transparency of broadband internet access service.
