P4

LRB-1078/P4

MDK&FFK:kjf/wlj/jld:jf

2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

DOA:......Bong, BB0388 - Additional broadband expansion grant funding

For 2015-2017 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction

An Act ...; relating to: the budget.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

State government

Public utility regulation

Current law makes annual and biennial appropriations from the universal service fund (USF) for various telecommunications and other programs. Current law also requires the PSC to administer a grant program for constructing broadband infrastructure in underserved areas. This bill provides funding for the grant program by transferring to the PSC, at the end of each fiscal year or fiscal biennium, the unencumbered balances from the USF-funded appropriations. The bill also makes an appropriation from the USF to the PSC for the grant program.

Other state government

Under current law, DOA administers the Technology for Educational Achievement program, known as TEACH. The TEACH program offers telecommunication access to school districts, private schools, cooperative educational service agencies, technical college districts, independent charter school authorizers, juvenile correctional facilities, private and tribal colleges, and public library boards (educational agencies) at discounted rates and by subsidizing the cost of installing data lines and video links. Under current law, subject to certain exceptions, an educational agency may request access to only one data line or one video link under the TEACH program. Under the bill, an educational agency may request access to multiple data lines and video links under the TEACH program. This bill also consolidates the appropriations for TEACH contracts for all educational agencies into a single appropriation.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. 16.997 (2) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 16.997 (2) (a) and amended to read:

16.997 (2) (a) Allow an educational agency to make a request to the department for access to either one data line or one lines and video link, except as follows: links.

Section 2. 16.997 (2) (a) 1. of the statutes is repealed.

Section 3. 16.997 (2) (a) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

Section 4. 16.997 (2) (a) 3. of the statutes is repealed.

Section 5. 16.997 (2c) of the statutes is created to read:

16.997 (2c) The department shall develop criteria to use to evaluate whether to provide more than one data line and video link to an educational agency. The department shall include in the criteria an educational agency's current bandwidth, equipment, and readiness, and the available providers and any other economic development in the geographic area that the educational agency serves.

Section 6. 20.155 (1) (q) of the statutes is amended to read:

20.155 (1) (q) Universal telecommunications service. From the universal service fund, the amounts in the schedule for the promotion of universal telecommunications service for the purposes specified in s. 196.218 (5) (a) 1., 4., 8. and 9. Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a), the unencumbered balance on June 30 of each year shall be transferred to the appropriation account under s. 20.155 (3) (rm).

Section 7. 20.155 (3) (g) of the statutes is renumbered 20.155 (3) (k) and amended to read:

20.155 (3) (k) Broadband expansion grants ; program revenues-service. As a continuing appropriation Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for broadband expansion grants under s. 196.504. The amounts transferred from s. 20.505 (1) (is) to this appropriation shall be credited to this appropriation account.

****Note: This is reconciled s.20.155 (3) (g). This Section has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: -1078/P2 and -0338/P2.

****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.

Section 8. 20.155 (3) (r) of the statutes is created to read:

20.155 (3) (r) Broadband expansion grants; segregated fund revenues. From the universal service fund, as a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for broadband expansion grants under s. 196.504.

****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.

Section 9. 20.155 (3) (rm) of the statutes is created to read:

20.155 (3) (rm) Broadband expansion grants; segregated fund revenues-service. From the universal service fund, all moneys transferred from the appropriation accounts under sub. (1) (q) and ss. 20.255 (3) (q), (qm), and (r), 20.285 (1) (q), and 20.505 (4) (s) to be used for broadband expansion grants under s. 196.504.

****Note: This is reconciled s. 20.155 (3) (rm). This Section has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: -1078/P2 and -1061/P2.

****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.

Section 10. 20.155 (3) (rm) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read:

20.155 (3) (rm) Broadband expansion grants; segregated fund revenues-service. From the universal service fund, all moneys transferred from the appropriation accounts under sub. (1) (q) and ss. 20.255 (3) (q), (qm), and (r), 20.285 (1) (q), and 20.505 (4) (s) to be used for broadband expansion grants under s. 196.504.

****Note: This is reconciled s. 20.155 (3) (rm). This Section has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-0971/P4 and LRB-1078/P3.

Section 11. 20.255 (2) (u) of the statutes is repealed.

****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.

Section 12. 20.255 (3) (q) of the statutes is amended to read:

20.255 (3) (q) Periodical and reference information databases; Newsline for the Blind. From the universal service fund, the amounts in the schedule for the Newsline for the Blind, provided by the Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, and to contract for periodical and reference information databases under s. 115.28 (26). Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a), the unencumbered balance on June 30 of each year shall be transferred to the appropriation account under s. 20.155 (3) (rm).

Section 13. 20.255 (3) (qm) of the statutes is amended to read:

20.255 (3) (qm) Aid to public library systems. From the universal service fund, the amounts in the schedule for state aid to public library systems under s. 43.24. Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a), the unencumbered balance on June 30 of each year shall be transferred to the appropriation account under s. 20.155 (3) (rm).

Section 14. 20.255 (3) (r) of the statutes is amended to read:

20.255 (3) (r) Library service contracts. From the universal service fund, the amounts in the schedule for library service contracts under s. 43.03 (6) and (7). Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a), the unencumbered balance on June 30 of each year shall be transferred to the appropriation account under s. 20.155 (3) (rm).

Section 15. 20.285 (1) (q) of the statutes is amended to read:

20.285 (1) (q) Telecommunications services. From the universal service fund, the amounts in the schedule to provide telecommunications services as specified in s. 196.218 (5) (a) 6. Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a), the unencumbered balance on June 30 of each year shall be transferred to the appropriation account under s. 20.155 (3) (rm).

Section 16. 20.505 (4) (s) of the statutes is amended to read:

20.505 (4) (s) Telecommunications access; school districts educational agencies. Biennially, from the universal service fund, the amounts in the schedule to make payments to telecommunications providers under contracts under s. 16.971 (13), (14), and (15) to the extent that the amounts due are not paid from the appropriation under sub. (1) (is), to make payments to telecommunications providers under contracts under s. 16.971 (16) to the extent that the amounts due are not paid from the appropriation under sub. (1) (kL), to make payments to telecommunications providers under contracts under s. 16.971 (13) to the extent that the amounts due are not paid from the appropriation under sub. (1) (ke), and to make grants to school district consortia under s. 16.997 (7). Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (b), the unencumbered balance on June 30 of each odd-numbered year shall be transferred to the appropriation account under s. 20.155 (3) (rm).

****Note: This is reconciled s. 20.505 (4) (s). This Section has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: -1078/P2 and -1061/P2.

Section 17. 20.505 (4) (t) of the statutes is repealed.

****Note: This is reconciled s. 20.505 (4) (t). This Section has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: -1078/P2 and -1061/P2.

****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.

Section 18. 20.505 (4) (tm) of the statutes is repealed.

****Note: This is reconciled s. 20.505 (4) (tm). This Section has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: -1078/P2 and -1061/P2.

****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.

Section 19. 20.505 (4) (tu) of the statutes is repealed.

****Note: This is reconciled s. 20.505 (4) (tu). This Section has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: -1078/P2 and -1061/P2.

****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.

Section 20. 20.505 (4) (tw) of the statutes is repealed.

****Note: This is reconciled s. 20.505 (4) (tw). This Section has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: -1078/P2 and -1061/P2.

****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.

Section 21. 118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. a. Add the amounts appropriated in the current fiscal year under s. 20.255 (2), except s. 20.255 (2) (ac), (bb), (fm), (fr), (fu), (k), and (m); s. 20.285 (1) (r) and (rc); and 20.505 (4) (es); and the amount, as determined by secretary of administration, of the appropriation under s. 20.505 (4) (s) allocated for payments to telecommunication providers under contracts with school districts and cooperative educational service agencies under s. 16.971 (13) and for grants to school district consortia under s. 16.997 (7).

Section 22. 196.218 (3) (a) 3. b. of the statutes is amended to read:

196.218 (3) (a) 3. b. The amounts appropriated under ss. 20.255 (3) (q), (qm), and (r), 20.285 (1) (q), and 20.505 (4) (s), (t), (tm), (tu), and (tw).

Section 23. 196.218 (5) (a) 10. of the statutes is created to read:

196.218 (5) (a) 10. To make broadband expansion grants under s. 196.504.

Section 24. 196.504 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.504 (2) (a) To make broadband expansion grants to eligible applicants for the purpose of constructing broadband infrastructure in underserved areas designated under par. (d). Grants awarded under this section shall be paid from the appropriation appropriations under s. 20.155 (3) (g) (k), (r), and (rm).

Section 9436. Effective dates; Public Service Commission.

(1) Broadband expansion grants. The amendment of section 20.155 (3) (rm) of the statutes takes effect on July 1, 2016.

(End)