Assembly committee advances bill to expand authority and funding for regional broadband consortia
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Summary
The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee gave AB 2279 a do‑pass as amended recommendation, advancing a bill that would expand regional broadband consortia authority, broaden allowable adoption activities, and increase annual per‑consortium funding and shift toward performance‑based payments.
Assemblymember Gibson’s AB 2279 won unanimous committee approval on a do‑pass as amended recommendation, moving the bill to the Committee on Appropriations.
The bill would amend the California Advanced Services Fund to expand the role and funding structure of regional broadband consortia so they can support deployment and adoption work and receive multi‑year funding. Gibson told the committee the measure aims to "close the digital divide, promote digital inclusion, and achieve true digital equity across California." The chair referred the bill to appropriations after a 9‑0 committee vote.
Connie Stewart, executive director of initiatives at Cal Poly Humboldt and host of the Redwood Coast Regional Consortium, testified in support and described consortia as local "field representatives" who know their regions and help maximize federal and state funds. Stewart said the bill would allow consortia to undertake adoption activities that currently fall outside program rules and reduce administrative burdens by moving from reimbursement‑based payments to performance‑based contracts. "We are the field reps for the issue of broadband in our region," Stewart told the committee, arguing that in‑person outreach and flexible funding are essential in large rural districts.
Supporters including Navrit Bridal of Valley Vision, Kat Zigmont of the California Emerging Technology Fund, Mark Reavis of the North Bay North Coast Broadband Consortium, and representatives of TechNet and Monterey Bay Economic Partnership told members the consortia already coordinate local governments, providers and stakeholders and need broader authority to align deployment with adoption programs.
Assemblymember Chris Rogers asked witnesses to detail administrative barriers under current CPUC reimbursement rules. Stewart and other proponents said timecard and audit requirements for relatively small grants have created excessive paperwork for organizations that manage multiple state and federal awards, and that the bill’s provisions increasing per‑consortium allocations (the draft text referenced amounts in the range of $200,000 to $500,000 per year) and performance‑based payments would reduce those burdens.
The committee recorded unanimous support and instructed staff to carry the amended bill to the Appropriations Committee for further review of budgetary implications and any conforming language.