Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee hears broad public testimony on House Bill 2579 to fund public media and digital equity
Summary
Lawmakers heard hours of testimony for and against House Bill 2579, which would create a public media broadcaster program and a digital equity program funded by a proposed 20¢ monthly per‑line phone tax. Supporters emphasized emergency alerts and rural access; industry groups warned the tax is regressive.
The Technology, Economic Development and Veterans Committee heard testimony on House Bill 2579, which would create a Public Media Broadcaster program and a digital equity program and fund them with a 20‑cent monthly tax per phone line.
Martha Whaling, staff to the committee, told members the bill establishes eligibility prioritizing state‑based, non‑paywall outlets and would split revenue 80% for public media grants and 20% for digital equity grants, with up to 3% for administration. "The first program, the Public Media Broadcaster program, is created to ensure that every Washingtonian has access to noncommercial media that informs, educates, and connects Washington communities," Whaling said during…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
