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House backs measure to formalize telecom task force and expand rural services
Summary
The House approved a substitute for House Bill 65 to convert an informal telecommunications working group into an official task force to coordinate public, private and regulatory stakeholders for expanding EVNET services into rural Utah; sponsor said membership was reduced and governor's staff appointees were included.
Lawmakers on Feb. 24 approved a substitute version of House Bill 65 to formalize a telecommunications task force aimed at improving rural access to telecommunications services, including the EVNET program.
Representative Fox, who described recent work by an information/telecommunications task force, said the substitute bill "forms that group into our official task force," reducing the number of legislative members to a five-member legislative contingent and adding appointees from the governor—s staff. She credited past efforts for bringing together firms such as US West and the Public Service Commission and said the task force has been "very effective in helping bring to the table both...our public service commission" and private stakeholders.
Supporters argued the measure would facilitate strategic planning and funding discussions necessary to extend services into rural parts of the state. After the sponsor's remarks and brief floor procedure addressing a technical audio issue, the House substituted and passed the version on the floor and transmitted the measure to the Senate for further consideration.
Floor proceedings record the substitute motion and subsequent passage; the clerk announced the bill passed and was referred to the Senate.
