HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.28.21 Board Correspondence - FW_ AB156 Broadband Trailer Bill_Regional Collaboration
From:Paulsen, Shaina
To:Alpert, Bruce;Bennett, Robin;Clerk of the Board;Connelly, Bill;Cook, Holly;Cook, Robin;Hironimus, Patrizia;
Kimmelshue, Tod;Lucero, Debra;Paulsen, Shaina;Pickett, Andy;Reaster, Kayla;Ring, Brian;Ritter, Tami;
Sweeney, Kathleen;Teeter, Doug
Cc:Nuzum, Danielle;Daneluk, Paula
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: AB156 Broadband Trailer Bill/Regional Collaboration
Date:Wednesday, July 28, 2021 3:34:35 PM
Please see Board Correspondence below.
Shaina Paulsen
Administrative Assistant, Senior
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200
Oroville, CA 95965
T: 530.552.3304 | F: 530.538.7120
From: Alice M Patterson <ampatterson@csuchico.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2021 2:20 PM
To: Alice M Patterson <ampatterson@csuchico.edu>
Cc: Jason A Schwenkler <jschwenkler@csuchico.edu>; Courtney A Farrell <cafarrell@csuchico.edu>
Subject: AB156 Broadband Trailer Bill/Regional Collaboration
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Dear North State Leaders—
After years of advocacy efforts and a pandemic that forced broadband issues even further to
the forefront, California is making its largest investment in expanding public broadband
access to date. Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers announced plans
for how to spend the $6 billion that California is allocating for broadband in the 2021-22
budget. The plans are detailed in AB 156, known as the broadband trailer bill, legislation that
outlines in detail how the internet investment should be spent. The trailer bill provides for
each County to receive a purported $5 million for “last mile” deployment” activities. AB 156
also offers unserved and underserved communities another option by establishing a $750
million Loan Loss Reserve program. Local governments, school districts and nonprofits will be
able to finance local broadband services themselves with the funding, allowing them to bypass
private providers.
Most current and future funding opportunities require collaboration through public/private
partnerships. As your Consortia, we take a regional approach that can help guide counties on
how to best fit into this strategy and maximize funding and project potential. Now more than
ever, we encourage our Counties to plan for broadband expansion by creating and adopting
policies and procedures that support broadband deployment. Our offices have worked with
many of your communities to assist in this process, including the development of asset
inventories, mapping, strategic broadband plans and “smart dig” policies. If your county has
not yet engaged in this process, and needs assistance, we’re here to help.
Please reach out to me directly with any questions, or to let me know how we can best serve
you. I can be reached via email at jschwenkler@csuchico.edu.
rd
Finally, if you haven’t already registered for tomorrow’s 3 Annual Broadband Summit, we
hope you’ll join us. Updates on current legislation, funding and other broadband programs
affecting the North State will be given by representatives from the California Public Utilities
Commission, CAFWD, the Federal Communications Commission, CSU, Chico and Valley Vision.
For the agenda and a link to register, please visit
https://www.nspdc.csuchico.edu/#/ced/events/regionalsummits.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jason Schwenkler
Manager, Northeastern and Upstate California Connect Broadband Consortia
Executive Director, North State Planning and Development Collective at CSU, Chico