HIGH-SPEED INTERNET OFFICE; CREATE S.B. 687 (S-1):
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 687 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Committee: Energy and Environment
CONTENT
The bill would enact the "Michigan High-Speed Internet Office Act" to do the following:
-- Codify the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (Office) within the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO).
-- Require the Director of LEO to appoint a Director of the Office who would have to establish procedures for budgeting, spending money, and employing personnel.
-- Prescribe the duties of the Office, including identifying best practices and resources for the support of broadband and digital infrastructure with speeds of at least 100 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and 20 Mbps upstream.
The bill includes sunset language, repealing the bill five years after it was enacted.
BRIEF RATIONALE
According to testimony, just over $2.5 billion in potential economic benefit is left unrealized each year due to a lack of high-speed internet access in Michigan. Some believe that the State should mobilize Federal dollars authorized under the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to ensure that homes and businesses in Michigan can access high-speed internet services to their needs. The Office was created for this purpose and should be codified to help the State realize its economic potential.
Legislative Analyst: Nathan Leaman
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local units of government. The Office was created in Executive Directive 2021-2 and 2021-12, and the bill would codify the Office in statute. The bill would not increase costs to the Office. The bill would not require any appropriations, and any appropriations made would be subject to future legislative approval.
Date Completed: 3-11-24 Fiscal Analyst: Cory Savino, PhD
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.