Bill Text: NJ AR117 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges United States Congress to permanently fund Affordable Connectivity Program.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-2)
Status: (Passed) 2024-03-18 - Filed with Secretary of State [AR117 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-AR117-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Assemblyman DAVID BAILEY, JR.
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Assemblywoman TENNILLE R. MCCOY
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Urges United States Congress to permanently fund Affordable Connectivity Program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution respectfully urging the Congress of the United States to permanently fund the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Whereas, Millions of Americans, many of whom are low-wage earners or live in rural areas, are without access to broadband Internet services; and
Whereas, Broadband is critical to everyday activities such as work, school, and accessing healthcare; and
Whereas, Consequently, without access to broadband Internet services, individuals struggle to improve social outcomes through education, achieve upward economic mobility, gain digital literacy skills, and receive quality healthcare; and
Whereas, To close the digital divide, in 2021, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands; and
Whereas, In addition, the program offers a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers, under specific circumstances, for eligible households; and
Whereas, Since its inception, the ACP has helped to expand broadband access to over 20 million households in the United States; and
Whereas, In New Jersey, as of January 2024, 335,079 households are enrolled in the ACP, which means that roughly one in 10 households in the State benefit from the program; and
Whereas, Since the ACP's launch in 2021, New Jersey alone has received nearly $152 million in ACP funding, resulting in $8.3 million per month in collective cost savings on broadband Internet services for all New Jersey households enrolled in the program; and
Whereas, However, the FCC announced that, without additional funding from Congress, the ACP is slated to expire in April 2024 when the program is scheduled to exhaust its $14.2 billion budget; and
Whereas, To improve broadband access for millions of Americans, and thereby advance social, economic, and health outcomes for the underserved, Congress is respectfully urged to permanently fund the Affordable Connectivity Program; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the Congress of the United States to permanently fund the Federal Communications Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the Congress of the United States to permanently fund the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
Millions of Americans are without access to broadband Internet services. As a result, these individuals struggle to improve social outcomes through education, achieve upward economic mobility, gain digital literacy skills, and receive quality healthcare. In 2021, to close the digital divide, the FCC launched the ACP, which provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. In addition, the program offers a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers, under specific circumstances, for eligible households. Currently, over 20 million households receive broadband benefits through the ACP. In New Jersey, as of January 2024, 335,079 households are enrolled in the program. Specifically, New Jersey has received nearly $152 million in ACP funding, resulting in $8.3 million per month in collective cost savings on broadband Internet services for all New Jersey households enrolled in the program.
However, the ACP is slated to expire in April 2024 when the program is scheduled to exhaust its $14.2 billion budget. To improve broadband access for millions of Americans, and thereby advance social, economic, and health outcomes for the underserved, Congress is respectfully urged to permanently fund the ACP.
