11549.52. (a) The office shall, consistent with Item 7502-062-8506 of the Budget Act of 2021, oversee the acquisition and management of contracts for the development and construction of a statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network, and for the maintenance and operation of the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network to provide an opportunity for last-mile providers, anchor institutions, and tribal entities to connect to, and interconnect with other networks and other appropriate connections to, the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network to facilitate high-speed broadband service.
(b) The office has the same authority granted to the department pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 6611 of the Public Contract Code for purposes of implementing this section.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 112, Sec. 3. (SB 156) Effective July 20, 2021.)