Bill > SCR41

This Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office, a state agency focused on ensuring everyone has access to reliable internet, to conduct a study. This study will involve creating detailed maps to pinpoint areas in Hawaii that either have no internet access ("unserved") or have internet that is not good enough ("underserved"), as defined by federal law like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The office will use data from internet providers and other sources, aiming to create more accurate maps than those currently provided by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which have been found to be unreliable for some rural communities. The goal is to identify where internet infrastructure needs to be improved to support essential services like remote work, online education, and telehealth, and the office is required to report its findings and recommendations to the State Legislature by December 21, 2023.