At a rural elementary school in Tulare County, CA, California Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday signed legislation to address the state’s commitment to bridging the digital divide by increasing what Newsom called “equitable, affordable access to high-speed internet service across California.” Through a $6 billion multi-year investment, Californians will be able to access broadband coverage with the construction of a state-owned open access middle mile network and last mile projects that connect unserved households and businesses with local networks.
“This $6 billion investment will make broadband more accessible than ever before,” said Governor Newsom, “expanding opportunity across the spectrum for students, families and businesses – from enhanced educational support to job opportunities to health care and other essential services. I thank the Legislature for its partnership on this critically important step to ensuring that California’s economic recovery will leave no part of our state behind.”
Newsom signed SB 156 at Traver Joint Elementary, a school serving diverse students in a rural Tulare County community. The school has distributed hotspot devices to students for internet access as part of the state’s cross-sector efforts launched during the pandemic.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit organization that labels itself as “defending civil liberties in the digital world,” said the state government will build open-access fiber capacity to all corners of the state.
“No longer will the state of California simply defer to the whims of AT&T and cable for broadband access, now every community is being given their shot to choose their broadband destiny,” the organization said in an issued statement, “It empowers local public entities, local private actors, and the state government itself to be the source of the solution. This will ensure that every community has multi-gigabit capacity available to suit their current and future broadband needs.”
Reader Interactions