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Rep. Zack Hudgins, serving the 11th District Serving parts of South Seattle, Burien, Sea-Tac, Tukwila, and the southern part of Renton. |
Hudgins continues march towards broadband-access for all
Package of bills continues expansion of high-speed
internet deployment across the state
OLYMPIA –Rep. Zack Hudgins (D – Tukwila) wants his fellow lawmakers in the
state Legislature to get behind a package of bills that build on his past work
that accelerates the groundwork for reaching every corner of the state with
broadband internet connections.
Hudgins saw first-hand the benefits
brought to areas lacking internet services. “You want to talk about economic
stimulus; Washington is the most trade-dependent state in the country. Without
access to quick, reliable internet service, students will miss opportunities to
explore the world beyond their textbooks, and small businesses will continue to
struggle to move their products anywhere but locally.”
Hudgins’
broadband-access package includes four bills:
HB 1698 Creating a state
broadband adoption and deployment authority.
HB 1699 Implementing a
high-speed internet deployment and adoption strategy for the state.
HB 1700
Conducting an inventory of publicly owned high-speed internet infrastructure.
HB 1701 Authorizing the department of information services to engage in
high-speed internet activities.
“We’re facing tough economic times.
While we await the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package to cushion
the blow for workers and businesses, anything we can do to foster small
businesses and create jobs in the meantime will be a big help. That’s what my
bills are all about.”
Hudgins is quick to point out broadband access
doesn’t fall along traditional urban-rural divides. “I represent the 11th
Legislative District, arguably the state’s most urban, most industrialized
area,” added Hudgins. “Within its borders there are hundreds of languages spoken
and many new citizens to the U.S. struggling to reach the American Dream in
their own right. Yet even in this highly urbanized area, there are virtual
deserts when it comes to internet connectivity. The inner-city student studying
at the Louvre online, and the apple grower in Wenatchee selling his produce to
Singapore both deserve the same opportunity to succeed as everyone else in our
state.”
Hudgins’ package of bills received a public hearing in the House
Committee on Technology and Energy & Communications last week. He plans to work
with stakeholders to reach consensus before a full vote of the House. Hudgins
believes it’s important to get this strategy in place sooner rather than later,
as Congress is poised to pass a federal stimulus package that includes a massive
influx of $9 billion for a national Broadband Technology Opportunities Program,
expanding service and computer center capacity.