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An Act To Increase Broadband Access for Rural Communities
 
CONCEPT DRAFT SUMMARY
This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.
This bill proposes to enact measures designed to increase broadband access for rural communities. Specifically, this bill proposes to:
1. Direct the ConnectME Authority to create an accurate map of broadband coverage in the State. The mapping project should delineate, at a minimum:
A. Those areas of the State that do not have access to broadband coverage;
B. For those areas of the State without access to broadband coverage, the infrastructure in place that might be used to expand access, including, but not limited to, poles, nodes, and fiber optic cable; and
C. For those areas of the State with access to broadband coverage, the type or types of available broadband coverage and the associated connection speeds; and
2. Direct the ConnectME Authority to provide funding for the provision of digital literacy programs, particularly in rural areas of the State. A digital literacy program funded pursuant to this requirement must have a history of success in increasing fluency in the use and security of interactive digital tools and searchable networks, including the ability to use digital tools safely and effectively for learning, collaborating and producing.