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Senate Bill S4017

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to requiring free internet service in households with students who live at or below the poverty level

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

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2021-S4017 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Amd Art 11 Art Head, add §224-c, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: S9057
2023-2024: S5548
2025-2026: S4938

2021-S4017 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires free internet service in households with students who live at or below the poverty level; directs broadband companies to install and/or upgrade broadband services in educational facilities.

2021-S4017 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S4017 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4017
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 1, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the public service law, in relation to requiring free
   internet service in households with students who live at or below  the
   poverty level

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  The article heading of article 11 of  the  public  service
 law,  as  added by chapter 83 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as
 follows:
             PROVISIONS RELATING TO CABLE TELEVISION COMPANIES
                      AND INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
   § 2. The public service law is amended by adding  a new section  224-c
 to read as follows:
   §  224-C.  INTERNET  SERVICE  TO STUDENTS. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS
 SECTION THE TERM "BROADBAND SERVICE" SHALL  MEAN  A  MASS-MARKET  RETAIL
 SERVICE  THAT  PROVIDES  THE  CAPABILITY TO TRANSMIT DATA TO AND RECEIVE
 DATA FROM ALL OR SUBSTANTIALLY ALL  INTERNET  ENDPOINTS,  INCLUDING  ANY
 CAPABILITIES  THAT  ARE  INCIDENTAL  TO  AND ENABLE THE OPERATION OF THE
 COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE, BUT SHALL NOT INCLUDE DIAL-UP SERVICE.
   2. ANY COMPANY THAT PROVIDES  BROADBAND  SERVICE  SHALL  PROVIDE  FREE
 INTERNET  SERVICE  TO  ANY HOUSEHOLD IN WHICH AN ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY
 STUDENT RESIDES WHERE THE INCOME OF SUCH HOUSEHOLD IS AT  OR  BELOW  THE
 POVERTY LEVEL AS ESTABLISHED BY LOCAL INDICATORS.
   3. ALL COMPANIES WHICH PROVIDE BROADBAND SERVICES IN THIS STATE SHALL,
 FOR  FREE  WITH  NO COST OR CHARGE, IDENTIFY AND INSTALL, REFURBISH, AND
 STRENGTHEN  BROADBAND  SYSTEM/NETWORK  CONNECTIONS  IN  ALL  EDUCATIONAL
 BUILDINGS  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO, SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, DAYCARE
 CENTERS, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08785-01-1

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