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The House State Affairs Committee is beginning a study of state telecommunications policy to prepare for the 2003 legislative session. The committee's initial hearing will be on April 10. Steve Wolens, the committee chair, has asked for written comments by April 3 on 10 questions regarding state telecommunications policy. 3 of these questions bear directly on TIF and telecommunications infrastructure. Gloria Meraz of TLA and Rhoda Goldberg, chair of the TLA Legislative Committee's ad hoc TIF task force, are coordinating responses by librarians to the 3 questions, which I've pasted at the end of this message. If you are interested in responding to the 3 questions, send your comments to Rhoda or Gloria ASAP. (The TLA Telecommunications and Networked Technology Committee will be working on the other questions.) Gloria arranged a meeting of the chairs of 5 TIF Working Groups (Public Education, Higher Education, Health Care, Technology, and Library) on March 25 to coordinate our efforts in support of TIF. The Working Groups will be making a joint response to the 10 questions and a presentation at the April 10 hearing. Bob Gaines *********** State Affairs Committee questions: 6. As of the end of 2001, the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board (TIF) had issued grants totaling $920 million to public schools, libraries, universities, health science centers, not-for-profit healthcare facilities, and community networking initiatives. Under current law, collection of the TIF assessment (currently 1.25 percent of taxable telecommunications receipts) ceases once TIF collections reach a cumulative $1.5 billion. Should the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board continue to play a role in the state's broadband strategy? If it has a role to play, how should its mission be expanded or changed to achieve the state's broadband goals? How should TIF be funded? 8. Would it benefit the state broadband strategy to develop a graphical inventory of public and/or private high-speed infrastructure within the state? If so, what types of high-speed infrastructure and/or services should be included in the graphical inventory? Which players would need to participate for the graphical inventory to be useful? 10. Are there particular "success stories" that the committee should look to in crafting a state broadband strategy? Please consider both rural and urban areas, as well as the policies and successes of other states or nations. --------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Include in body: unsubscribe ctls-l For information on CTLS-L please visit: http://www.ctls.net/document/ctls-l.htm
