The state House of Representatives approved a bill to expand broadband internet access for tribal communities in the Coachella Valley, CA helping to close the digital divide in these historically underserved communities, reported KESQ News.
According to Rep. Raul Ruiz, the bill’s author, The Tribal Broadband Deployment Act will direct the FCC to improve broadband access in tribal lands within 30 months. Currently, 35.4 percent of Americans living on tribal lands lack access to high-speed internet, compared to 2.1 percent of Americans living in urban areas, according to an FCC Broadband Deployment Report.
“With expanding access to the internet, families, students, workers and businesses will be able to harness the power of their ideas and information to achieve their dreams and grow our local economy,” Ruiz said in a speech on the House floor. As a next step, the bill needs Senate approval.
March 16, 2018
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