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Minutes for HB2701 - Committee on Utilities
Short Title
Establishing the statewide broadband expansion task force.
Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 20, 2018
Chairman Olson called for an Office of Revisor of Statutes overview of the bill. Matt Sterling explained that the bills proposed the make up and objectives of a statewide broadband expansion taskforce. (Attachment 1)
Proponent Paul Snider highlighted access to capital, reduction of red tape and incentives to make broadband deployment less expensive as three main issues of association members. (Attachment 2)
Proponent John Federico suggested that the bill is an opportunity for policy makers, providers and other stakeholders to work together to create a path for broadband reform in Kansas. (Attachment 3)
Proponent Alex Orel explained that electric cooperatives in Kansas have determined that part of their mission is now to include broadband initiatives that will improve the quality of life and bring economic development opportunities to rural Kansas. (Attachment 4)
Proponent Kimberly Gencur Svaty suggested that broadband service has become a necessary and basic utility service and asserted that all Kansans deserve access to reliable, high-speed internet. (Attachment 5)
Proponent Erik Sartorius insisted that cities stand ready to work with other interests to bring broadband to rural and other unserved areas of Kansas. (Attachment 6)
Proponent John Idoux recommended that a more narrow focus might be the best approach for the proposed task force. He cautioned that the current scope of the task force may be too broad to develop workable solutions. (Attachment 7)
Written Only Proponent Testimony:
Chad, Austin, Kansas Hospital Association (Attachment 8)
Mandy Roe, Kansas Cooperative Council (Attachment 9)
Josh Powell, Kansas Department of Transportation (Attachment 10)
Rachel Monger, Leading Edge Kansas (Attachment 11)
Melissa Wangemann, Kansas Association of Counties (Attachment 12)
John Donley, Kansas Farm Bureau (Attachment 13)
Christy Hopkins, Western Kansas Rural Economic Development Alliance (Attachment 14)
Neutral Catherine Moyer expressed concerns surrounding broadband deployment involving the current lack of a definition of what it is, how fast it should be and where it does and does not adequately exist. (Attachment 15)
Neutral Patrick Fucik stated that Sprint could support this bill with three basic changes. (Attachment 16)
He provided language that would allow his organization's support of the bill. (Attachment 17)
Chairman Olson suspended the hearing announcing that the hearing for the opponents of the bill would resume on Wednesday.
