RCW 43.330.532
Broadband office—Established—Purpose. (Effective until July 1, 2023.)
(1) The governor's statewide broadband office is established. The director of the office must be appointed by the governor. The office may employ staff necessary to carry out the office's duties as prescribed by chapter 365, Laws of 2019, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose.
(2) The purpose of the office is to encourage, foster, develop, and improve affordable, quality broadband within the state in order to:
(a) Drive job creation, promote innovation, improve economic vitality, and expand markets for Washington businesses;
(b) Serve the ongoing and growing needs of Washington's education systems, health care systems, public safety systems, transportation systems, industries and business, governmental operations, and citizens; and
(c) Improve broadband accessibility for unserved communities and populations.
[ 2021 c 258 § 2; 2019 c 365 § 3.]
NOTES:
Findings—Intent—2021 c 258: See note following RCW 47.44.160.
Findings—2019 c 365: "The legislature finds that:
(1) Access to broadband is critical to full participation in society and the modern economy;
(2) Increasing broadband access to unserved areas of the state serves a fundamental governmental purpose and function and provides a public benefit to the citizens of Washington by enabling access to health care, education, and essential services, providing economic opportunities, and enhancing public health and safety;
(3) Achieving affordable and quality broadband access for all Washingtonians will require additional and sustained investment, research, local and community participation, and partnerships between private, public, and nonprofit entities;
(4) The federal communications commission has adopted a national broadband plan that includes recommendations directed to federal, state, and local governments, including recommendations to:
(a) Design policies to ensure robust competition and maximize consumer welfare, innovation, and investment;
(b) Ensure efficient allocation and management of assets that the government controls or influences to encourage network upgrades and competitive entry;
(c) Reform current universal service mechanisms to support deployment in high-cost areas, ensuring that low-income Americans can afford broadband, and supporting efforts to boost adoption and utilization; and
(d) Reform laws, policies, standards, and incentives to maximize the benefits of broadband in sectors that government influences significantly, such as public education, health care, and government operations;
(5) Extensive investments have been made by the telecommunications industry and the public sector, as well as policies and programs adopted to provide affordable broadband services throughout the state, that will provide a foundation to build a comprehensive statewide framework for additional actions needed to advance the state's broadband goals; and
(6) Providing additional funding mechanisms to increase broadband access in unserved areas is in the best interest of the state. To that end, this act establishes a grant and loan program that will support the extension of broadband infrastructure to unserved areas. To ensure this program primarily serves the public interest, the legislature intends that any grant or loan provided to a private entity under this program must be conditioned on a guarantee that the asset or infrastructure to be developed will be maintained for public use for a period of at least fifteen years." [ 2019 c 365 § 1.]
(1) The governor's statewide broadband office is established. The director of the office must be appointed by the governor. The office may employ staff necessary to carry out the office's duties as prescribed by chapter 365, Laws of 2019, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose.
(2) The purpose of the office is to encourage, foster, develop, and improve affordable, quality broadband within the state in order to:
(a) Drive job creation, promote innovation, improve economic vitality, and expand markets for Washington businesses;
(b) Serve the ongoing and growing needs of Washington's education systems, health care systems, public safety systems, transportation systems, industries and business, governmental operations, and citizens; and
(c) Improve broadband accessibility and adoption for unserved and underserved communities and populations.
[ 2022 c 265 § 302; 2021 c 258 § 2; 2019 c 365 § 3.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2022 c 265 §§ 101, 102, 301-305, and 401: See note following RCW 43.330.530.
Short title—Findings—Intent—2022 c 265: See notes following RCW 43.330.539.
Findings—Intent—2021 c 258: See note following RCW 47.44.160.
Findings—2019 c 365: "The legislature finds that:
(1) Access to broadband is critical to full participation in society and the modern economy;
(2) Increasing broadband access to unserved areas of the state serves a fundamental governmental purpose and function and provides a public benefit to the citizens of Washington by enabling access to health care, education, and essential services, providing economic opportunities, and enhancing public health and safety;
(3) Achieving affordable and quality broadband access for all Washingtonians will require additional and sustained investment, research, local and community participation, and partnerships between private, public, and nonprofit entities;
(4) The federal communications commission has adopted a national broadband plan that includes recommendations directed to federal, state, and local governments, including recommendations to:
(a) Design policies to ensure robust competition and maximize consumer welfare, innovation, and investment;
(b) Ensure efficient allocation and management of assets that the government controls or influences to encourage network upgrades and competitive entry;
(c) Reform current universal service mechanisms to support deployment in high-cost areas, ensuring that low-income Americans can afford broadband, and supporting efforts to boost adoption and utilization; and
(d) Reform laws, policies, standards, and incentives to maximize the benefits of broadband in sectors that government influences significantly, such as public education, health care, and government operations;
(5) Extensive investments have been made by the telecommunications industry and the public sector, as well as policies and programs adopted to provide affordable broadband services throughout the state, that will provide a foundation to build a comprehensive statewide framework for additional actions needed to advance the state's broadband goals; and
(6) Providing additional funding mechanisms to increase broadband access in unserved areas is in the best interest of the state. To that end, this act establishes a grant and loan program that will support the extension of broadband infrastructure to unserved areas. To ensure this program primarily serves the public interest, the legislature intends that any grant or loan provided to a private entity under this program must be conditioned on a guarantee that the asset or infrastructure to be developed will be maintained for public use for a period of at least fifteen years." [ 2019 c 365 § 1.]
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Title 43 - State Government—Executive
Chapter 43.330 - Department of Commerce.
43.330.007 - Management responsibility.
43.330.020 - Department created.
43.330.030 - Director—Appointment—Salary.
43.330.040 - Director powers and duties.
43.330.050 - Community and economic development responsibilities.
43.330.060 - Trade and business responsibilities.
43.330.065 - Identification of countries of strategic importance for international trade relations.
43.330.068 - International companies investing in Washington—Eligibility for excise tax incentives.
43.330.070 - Local development capacity—Training and technical assistance.
43.330.075 - Local government regulation and policy handouts—Technical assistance.
43.330.084 - Washington state quality award—Reimbursement of application fee.
43.330.086 - Contracts with associate development organizations—Schedule of awards.
43.330.094 - Tourism development and promotion account—Promotion of tourism industry.
43.330.100 - Local infrastructure and public facilities—Grants and loans.
43.330.110 - Housing—Energy assistance.
43.330.120 - Growth management.
43.330.125 - Assistance to counties and cities.
43.330.135 - Court-appointed special advocate programs—Funds—Eligibility.
43.330.150 - Fees—Conferences, workshops, training.
43.330.152 - Fees—Service and product delivery areas.
43.330.155 - Community and economic development fee account.
43.330.156 - Fees—Adoption by rule.
43.330.167 - Washington youth and families fund.
43.330.170 - Statewide housing market analysis.
43.330.181 - Office of apple health and homes—Responsibilities.
43.330.184 - Apple health and homes account.
43.330.187 - Rapid permanent supportive housing acquisition and development program.
43.330.190 - Reimbursement of extraordinary criminal justice costs.
43.330.270 - Innovation partnership zone program.
43.330.300 - Financial fraud and identity theft crimes investigation and prosecution program.
43.330.310 - Comprehensive green economy jobs growth initiative—Establishment.
43.330.330 - Funding energy efficiency improvements—Risk reduction mechanisms—Legislative intent.
43.330.340 - Appliance efficiency rebate program.
43.330.360 - Findings—Involvement of state bond authorities in financing energy efficiency projects.
43.330.365 - Electric vehicle incentive account.
43.330.370 - Evergreen jobs initiative.
43.330.409 - Broadband mapping, deployment, and adoption—Reports.
43.330.412 - Community technology opportunity program—Administration—Grant program.
43.330.421 - Advisory group on digital inclusion and technology planning.
43.330.425 - Advisory committee on permanent supportive housing.
43.330.430 - Developmental disabilities endowment—Definitions.
43.330.431 - Developmental disabilities endowment—Trust fund.
43.330.434 - Developmental disabilities endowment—Endowment principles.
43.330.435 - Developmental disabilities endowment—Development of operating plan—Elements.
43.330.436 - Developmental disabilities endowment—Program implementation and administration.
43.330.437 - Developmental disabilities endowment—Rules.
43.330.440 - Multijurisdictional regulatory streamlining projects—Establishment—Reports.
43.330.460 - Washington achieving a better life experience program—Definitions.
43.330.462 - Washington achieving a better life experience program account.
43.330.468 - Washington achieving a better life experience program—Governing board authority.
43.330.480 - Low-income home rehabilitation revolving loan program—Definitions.
43.330.482 - Low-income home rehabilitation revolving loan program.
43.330.488 - Low-income home rehabilitation revolving loan program—Account.
43.330.500 - Life sciences discovery fund.
43.330.502 - Life sciences discovery fund—Grants and contracts by department.
43.330.504 - Life sciences discovery fund—Department powers.
43.330.506 - Life sciences discovery fund—Limitation of liability.
43.330.510 - Keep Washington working statewide work group.
43.330.520 - Military installation incompatible development—Project list—Report.
43.330.530 - Broadband office—Definitions.
43.330.532 - Broadband office—Established—Purpose.
43.330.534 - Broadband office—Powers and duties.
43.330.536 - Broadband office—Goals.
43.330.538 - Broadband office—Reports.
43.330.539 - Broadband office—Digital equity plan.
43.330.5393 - Digital equity planning grant program.
43.330.5395 - Digital equity forum.
43.330.540 - Cannabis social equity technical assistance grant program.
43.330.542 - Environmental justice obligations of the department of commerce.
43.330.545 - Community engagement grants—Law enforcement.
43.330.550 - Employer-supported child care—Technical assistance.
43.330.560 - Office of renewable fuels—Definitions.
43.330.565 - Office of renewable fuels—Established.
43.330.570 - Office of renewable fuels—Duties.
43.330.575 - Renewable fuels accelerator account.
43.330.700 - Findings—Homeless youth.
43.330.702 - Homeless youth—Definitions.
43.330.705 - Homeless youth—Office of homeless youth prevention and protection programs.
43.330.706 - Homeless youth—Data and outcomes measures—Report.
43.330.715 - Homeless youth—Training program.
43.330.717 - Homeless youth—Review of state-funded programs.
43.330.723 - Youth and young adults exiting publicly funded system of care—Flexible funding.
43.330.725 - Youth and young adults exiting publicly funded system of care—System of care grants.
43.330.730 - Finding—2015 c 296.
43.330.735 - Washington small business retirement marketplace.
43.330.740 - Payment of marketplace expenses—Use of private and federal funding.
43.330.745 - Incentive payments.
43.330.750 - Rules—Rule development process.
43.330.760 - Intent—2021 c 64.
43.330.762 - Manufacturing—Goals and strategies—Reports—Manufacturing council.
43.330.765 - Manufacturing—Regional strategies—Grants.
43.330.767 - Manufacturing cluster acceleration account.
43.330.770 - Manufacturing—Workforce innovation sector lead—Reports.
43.330.772 - Subject to appropriation.
43.330.900 - References to director and department.
43.330.902 - Effective date—1993 c 280.
43.330.9021 - Effective date—1994 c 5.