Signed by Governor Jay Inslee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that expands unrestricted authority for public entities to provide telecommunications services to end users.

Highlights:

• Defines "retail telecommunications services" as the sale, lease, license, or indivisible right of use of telecommunications services or telecommunications facilities directly to end users (Sec. 1-4).

• Authorizes a public utility district in existence on June 8, 2000, to construct, purchase, acquire, develop, finance, lease, license, handle, provide, add to, contract for, interconnect, alter, improve, repair, operate, and maintain any telecommunications facilities within or without the district's limits for the provision of wholesale telecommunications services as follows (Sec. 2-1.b):

• Within the district and by contract with another public utility district;

• Within an area in an adjoining county that is already provided electrical services by the district; or

• Within an adjoining county that does not have a public utility district providing electrical or telecommunications services headquartered within the county's boundaries, but only if the district providing telecommunications services is not authorized to provide electrical services; or

• For the provision of retail telecommunications services as authorized in this law.

• Authorizes a public utility district to provide retail telecommunications services or telecommunications facilities within the district's limits or without the district's limits by contract with another public utility district, any political subdivision of the state authorized to provide retail telecommunications services in the state, or with any federally recognized tribe located in the state of Washington (Sec. 2-8).

• Requires a public utility district to remit the annual payment to the county treasurer of each county in which the public utility district's broadband infrastructure used in providing retail telecommunications services is located in a form and manner required by the county treasurer (Sec. 4-3).

• Requires a town to examine and report to its governing body and to the state broadband office the following about the area to be served by the town (Sec. 5-2.a):

• An assessment of the current availability of broadband infrastructure and its adequacy to provide high-speed internet access and other advanced telecommunications services to end users;

• The location of where retail telecommunications services will be provided;

• Evidence relating to the unserved nature of the community in which retail telecommunications services will be provided;

• Expected costs of providing retail telecommunications services to customers to be served by the town;

• Evidence that proposed telecommunications infrastructure will be capable of scaling to greater download and upload speeds to meet state broadband goals;

• Sources of funding for the project that will supplement any grant or loan awards; and

• A strategic plan to maintain long-term operation of the infrastructure, and the expected installation charges and monthly costs for end users.

• Authorizes a port district to provide retail telecommunications services within or without the district's limits (Sec. 9-9).

• Specifies to qualify for financial assistance under this law the public works board has to determine that a local government meets all of the following conditions (Sec. 11-1):

• The city or county must impose a tax at a rate of at least 1/4th of 1 percent;

• The local government must have developed a capital facility plan; and

• The local government must be using all local revenue sources which are reasonably available for funding public works, taking into consideration local employment and economic factors.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that expands unrestricted authority for public entities to provide telecommunications services to end users.

Highlights:

• Defines "retail telecommunications services" as the sale, lease, license, or indivisible right of use of telecommunications services or telecommunications facilities directly to end users (Sec. 1-4).

• Authorizes a public utility district in existence on June 8, 2000, to construct, purchase, acquire, develop, finance, lease, license, handle, provide, add to, contract for, interconnect, alter, improve, repair, operate, and maintain any telecommunications facilities within or without the district's limits for the provision of wholesale telecommunications services as follows (Sec. 2-1.b):

• Within the district and by contract with another public utility district;

• Within an area in an adjoining county that is already provided electrical services by the district; or

• Within an adjoining county that does not have a public utility district providing electrical or telecommunications services headquartered within the county's boundaries, but only if the district providing telecommunications services is not authorized to provide electrical services; or

• For the provision of retail telecommunications services as authorized in this law.

• Authorizes a public utility district to provide retail telecommunications services or telecommunications facilities within the district's limits or without the district's limits by contract with another public utility district, any political subdivision of the state authorized to provide retail telecommunications services in the state, or with any federally recognized tribe located in the state of Washington (Sec. 2-8).

• Requires a public utility district to remit the annual payment to the county treasurer of each county in which the public utility district's broadband infrastructure used in providing retail telecommunications services is located in a form and manner required by the county treasurer (Sec. 4-3).

• Requires a town to examine and report to its governing body and to the state broadband office the following about the area to be served by the town (Sec. 5-2.a):

• An assessment of the current availability of broadband infrastructure and its adequacy to provide high-speed internet access and other advanced telecommunications services to end users;

• The location of where retail telecommunications services will be provided;

• Evidence relating to the unserved nature of the community in which retail telecommunications services will be provided;

• Expected costs of providing retail telecommunications services to customers to be served by the town;

• Evidence that proposed telecommunications infrastructure will be capable of scaling to greater download and upload speeds to meet state broadband goals;

• Sources of funding for the project that will supplement any grant or loan awards; and

• A strategic plan to maintain long-term operation of the infrastructure, and the expected installation charges and monthly costs for end users.

• Authorizes a port district to provide retail telecommunications services within or without the district's limits (Sec. 9-9).

• Specifies to qualify for financial assistance under this law the public works board has to determine that a local government meets all of the following conditions (Sec. 11-1):

• The city or county must impose a tax at a rate of at least 1/4th of 1 percent;

• The local government must have developed a capital facility plan; and

• The local government must be using all local revenue sources which are reasonably available for funding public works, taking into consideration local employment and economic factors.

Full Bill Text