Signed by Governor Kate Brown

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends a cell phone tax to pay for public broadband projects.

Highlights:

• Establishes and implements a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory universal service fund (Sec. 2-1.a).

• Requires Public Utility Commission to do the following (Sec. 2-1.a):

• Use the universal service fund to ensure basic telephone service is available at a reasonable and affordable rate; and

• Transfer from the universal service fund to the Oregon Business Development Department for deposit in the Broadband Fund  an amount per year that is equal to the lesser of:

• $5 million; or

• The remainder of moneys deposited in the universal service fund that are unobligated after making the designation

• Specifies there is imposed a universal service surcharge on the sale in this state of all (Sec. 2-4.a):

• Retail telecommunications services;

• Retail commercial mobile radio services; and

• Retail interconnected voice over internet protocol services.

• Requires the commission to periodically review the benchmark and adjust the benchmark as necessary to reflect (Sec. 3-3.b):

• Changes in competition in the telecommunications industry;

• Changes in federal universal service support; and

• Other relevant factors as determined by the commission.

• Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to establish by rule a program for providing grants or loans to assist eligible applicants with projects for (Sec. 5-2.a):

• The planning and development of broadband service infrastructure;

• Digital literacy including cybersecurity;

• Digital inclusion; and

• Digital adoption.

• Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to report to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to telecommunications on the status of the Broadband Fund The report required includes a description of (Sec. 6-1):

• All loans and grants provided through the program; and

• The status of the projects funded by the loans and grants.

• Requires the Oregon Broadband Advisory Council, in consultation with the Oregon Broadband Office, to submit a report by November 1 of each even-numbered year to the Joint Legislative Committee on Information Management and Technology on the following subjects (Sec. 8):

• The affordability and accessibility of broadband technology in all areas of this state;

• The extent of broadband technology use in this state in business, health care, energy management, education and government; and

• The role of broadband technology in local, state and regional economies and economic development.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends a cell phone tax to pay for public broadband projects.

Highlights:

• Establishes and implements a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory universal service fund (Sec. 2-1.a).

• Requires Public Utility Commission to do the following (Sec. 2-1.a):

• Use the universal service fund to ensure basic telephone service is available at a reasonable and affordable rate; and

• Transfer from the universal service fund to the Oregon Business Development Department for deposit in the Broadband Fund  an amount per year that is equal to the lesser of:

• $5 million; or

• The remainder of moneys deposited in the universal service fund that are unobligated after making the designation

• Specifies there is imposed a universal service surcharge on the sale in this state of all (Sec. 2-4.a):

• Retail telecommunications services;

• Retail commercial mobile radio services; and

• Retail interconnected voice over internet protocol services.

• Requires the commission to periodically review the benchmark and adjust the benchmark as necessary to reflect (Sec. 3-3.b):

• Changes in competition in the telecommunications industry;

• Changes in federal universal service support; and

• Other relevant factors as determined by the commission.

• Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to establish by rule a program for providing grants or loans to assist eligible applicants with projects for (Sec. 5-2.a):

• The planning and development of broadband service infrastructure;

• Digital literacy including cybersecurity;

• Digital inclusion; and

• Digital adoption.

• Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to report to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to telecommunications on the status of the Broadband Fund The report required includes a description of (Sec. 6-1):

• All loans and grants provided through the program; and

• The status of the projects funded by the loans and grants.

• Requires the Oregon Broadband Advisory Council, in consultation with the Oregon Broadband Office, to submit a report by November 1 of each even-numbered year to the Joint Legislative Committee on Information Management and Technology on the following subjects (Sec. 8):

• The affordability and accessibility of broadband technology in all areas of this state;

• The extent of broadband technology use in this state in business, health care, energy management, education and government; and

• The role of broadband technology in local, state and regional economies and economic development.

Full Bill Text