COUNTIES/INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE.

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View NCGA Bill Details2017-2018 Session
House Bill 390 (Public) Filed Wednesday, March 15, 2017
AN ACT AUTHORIZING COUNTIES TO PROVIDE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE AS A PUBLIC ENTERPRISE.
Intro. by Dobson, Bert Jones, Presnell, Garrison.

Status: Ref To Com On State and Local Government II (House Action) (Mar 20 2017)

Bill History:

H 390

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Mar 15 2017 - View Summary

    Identical to S 208 filed on 3/7/17.

    Enacts GS 153A-275.1 authorizing a county to provide infrastructure for the purpose of expanding high-speed internet access service in unserved areas of the county to promote and encourage economic development. Defines high-speed internet access service and unserved area. Specifies that the infrastructure can include, but is not limited to, conduit, fiber-optic cable, and fiber-optic wire. Authorizes the county to lease the infrastructure to unaffiliated, qualified private providers of high-speed internet access service. Requires any leases under this statute to comply with the provisions of Article 8 of GS Chapter 143 (concerning county property), and to be awarded on a technology-neutral basis. Requires the county to use only unrestricted general fund revenue to provide the authorized infrastructure. Clarifies that the statute does not permit a county to provide internet service.

    Makes conforming changes to amend GS 153A-274 to include high-speed internet access service to the defined term public enterprise, as used in Article 15 of GS Chapter 153A (Public Enterprises).