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Minutes for HB2451 - Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications

Short Title

Enacting the statewide broadband deployment authorization act.

Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 7, 2018

The Chair opened the hearing.

Proponent Testimony was presented by Rep Tom Sloan. (Attachment 6) The bill authorizes the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to authorize broadband service in rural areas, specifies the information required in the application, responsiveness to customer and potential customer contacts, communications with local governments, and details the paying of the broadband service provider fee (franchise fee).  He stood for questions.

The Chair temporarily closed the hearing.  The Chair subsequently re-opened the hearing.

Matt Sterling, Assistant Revisor of Statutes presented a bill brief. (Attachment 7) The bill would enact the statewide broadband deployment authorization act.  The purpose of the act would be to encourage the deployment of advanced telecommunications capability throughout rural Kansas.  He stood for questions.

The Chair closed the proponent portion of the hearing.

Written only opposition testimony was submitted by John Idoux, Kansas Governmental Affairs Director, CenturyLink (Attachment 8), Mike Scott, President, AT&T Kansas (Attachment 9), Erik Sartorius, Executive Director, League of Kansas Municipalities(Attachment10), Dick Carter, Jr, City of Overland Park (Attachment11) and Joel Skelley, Director of Policy, Kansas Department of Transportation.(Attachment 12)

The Chair closed the opponent portion of the hearing.

Neutral written testimony was submitted by Melissa Wangemann, General Counsel/Director of Legislative Services, Kansas Association of Counties (Attachment 13) and Mary Jane Stankiewicz, Executive Director, Kansas Rural Independent Telecommunications Coalition (KRITC). (Attachment 14)

The Chair closed the neutral portion of the hearing.  The Chair closed the hearing.