SUMMARY:

The Policy & Advocacy Taskforce convened on April 4, 2002. The meeting included representatives from multiple sectors interested in resolving the digital divide in the Los Angeles County region. The purpose of the Policy and Advocacy Task Force is to host discussions of relevant public policy, regulatory and best practices to identify priorities for public policy to permanently eliminate the digital divide.

The meeting was led by David Rattray, President & CEO, UNITE-LA, and Sulaiman Kenyatta, Policy Manager, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), and focused on an overview of state legislation being tracked, including:

AB 2748: Telecommunications: Digital Equity in Video Franchising (DIVCA). The measure was called a robust reform of the bill that creates an explicit equal access commitment. Some providers have expressed technical concerns on the process of franchise negotiation and certainty of operating authority. There also was discussion of drafting a letter in support of the bill.

AB 2753: Communications: Digital Equity Bill of Rights. There was a presentation on this measure by Kerstyn Olson, Policy Advisor and Research Manager and Marissa Canche, Manager with California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF). This is a new measure that Taskforce members were asked to consider supporting, including an “opt-in” letter (see resources below).

Other updates included upcoming state legislative committee hearings on:

• AB 1934: Office of Emergency Services: Broadband Communications Grant Program: Fairgrounds

• AB 2750: Department of Technology: Digital Equity Plan

Resources

• Bill language for AB 2728, Digital Equity in Video Franchising (DIVCA): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2748

• Fact sheet on Assembly Bill 2748 – DIVCA Reform: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1urCHbEf_UzAhit0mw0_czxVXNHV95GWZ/view

• California Community Foundation coalition sign-on letter in support of AB 2728: https://forms.gle/sbQoBtoZCo3N7RWH7

• List of statements in support of AB 2753, the Digital Equity Bill of Rights: https://www.internetforallnow.org/digital_equity_bill_of_rights

• Federal Communications Commissioner digital discrimination proceeding: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-input-how-combat-digital-discrimination

Updated: Apr 12