[RTC List] FYI

[Gregg Foster]

10/27/2006   GAAS:786:06   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Print Version
<http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/print-version/press-release/4575/>  
Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Executive Order to Help Make California the
Leader in Telecommunications Revolution
Fulfilling his commitment to digitally connect California's cities to
each other and the world, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed an executive order
to clear the government red tape for building broadband networks, ensure
all government agencies are using the best technologies to serve the
people and creates a broadband task force that lets experts from
government and business work together to identify and eliminate
obstacles to making broadband internet access ubiquitous in the state. 
"California is home to the greatest technology entrepreneurs. Let's show
the world what we can do," said Gov. Schwarzenegger at the UC Davis
Health System Pediatric Telehealth Colloquium in San Francisc
<http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/cme/conferences/pdfs/PDTHC07_10-27-06.pdf>
o, where a doctor examined an 11-year old leukemia patient by video
about 100 miles away in Sacramento. "If we want to stay No. 1 in
technology, we need action. In countries like Japan and South Korea, the
people have access to great technologies at lower costs than anywhere in
America. We can do that. Michigan has one of the largest wireless
broadband networks in the country. We can do that. That's why I'm
signing an executive order to help make California a leader in the
telecommunications revolution."
Telemedicine is just one of the exciting possibilities that expanding
broadband access would bring to the state. 
Highlights of the executive order include:
*	Establishing a broadband task force to recommend additional
steps the Governor can take to promote broadband access and usage. 
*	Designating one agency-Business, Transportation & Housing
(BT&H)-as lead coordinator for implementing the state's broadband
policy, to help ensure cohesion, speed and efficiency. 
*	Directing BT&H to create a database linking private broadband
companies with state transportation agencies, permitting companies to
better coordinate fiber optic installation, leading to more consumer
choice and efficient pricing. 
*	Establishing a pricing policy for private companies paying for
"rights-of- way" access to state roads. Previously, charges to lay fiber
varied widely-the order sets pricing based on actual costs incurred by
the State. 
*	Calling for streamlined, expedited rights-of-way permitting
procedures to accelerate broadband deployment. 
*	Directing BT&H to collect and analyze current broadband
information so the state can accurately map existing resources. 
*	Directing the Department of General Services to make wireless
Internet access available in State buildings and increase video
streaming to deliver public meetings, training materials and other state
resources online. 
*	Directing state agencies to enable Voiceover Internet Protocol
technologies for business and government use, and include broadband
conduit in their infrastructure planning. 
After his speech to the colloquium, Gov. Schwarzenegger joined Silicon
Valley CEOs and executives to discuss the economic development that
increased broadband adoption would spur.
"Broadband will help build California so we can grow our economy by
competing in the global marketplace," said Gov. Schwarzenegger.
"California must remain competitive so we continue to attract the best,
brightest and most creative workforce in the world."
Since Gov. Schwarzenegger took office, California has added more than
650,000 jobs and the unemployment rate has fallen to 4.8 percent.
Investing in broadband will help continue California's economic
prosperity. 
Research conducted on the California "One Gigabyte or Bust" Broadband
Initiative estimated that enabling broadband access for 50 percent of
Californians would have enormous economic impacts on the state, adding
over $365 billion annually to the state's economy within seven years and
helping create or retain two million sustainable jobs. Similarly, the
California Communications Association estimates that every dollar
invested in broadband networks generates $3 in economic activity, and
that every $1 billion in telecom capital spending equates to 7,000 new
telecom jobs - including jobs in network construction, engineering,
operations and the creation of new equipment and products.
A U.S. Commerce Department study released this year found that the
availability of broadband is directly tied to business growth -
especially among new technology-intensive firms. Greater broadband
access will directly support California's world-leading technology
industry - creating jobs both in the communications sector and for
high-tech companies like Intel, Google, Yahoo!, and eBay, which rely on
internet usage to drive business. Increasing broadband deployment will
also further support the California economy by making our state an
attractive home for the nation's - and the world's - preeminent
scientists and researchers. The U.S. currently trails several European
and Asian countries in broadband access rates.
Attached is the full text of the executive order.
<http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/executive-order/4585/> 
EXECUTIVE ORDER S-21-06
Twenty-First Century Government: Expanding Broadband Access and Usage in
California
WHEREAS deploying broadband networks and advanced communication services
throughout California will enable continued improvements in healthcare,
public safety, education, and the economy; and
WHEREAS a technology-neutral approach to removing barriers to broadband
deployment will encourage lower prices and creation of more consumer
choices; and
WHEREAS advanced communication services have become central to the
financial health of our State, as these services have increased
individual worker productivity and connected California businesses to
international markets; and
WHEREAS California is ahead of all other states in dollar value of
high-tech exports (approximately $50 billion last year alone);[1] and
WHEREAS California boasts more than twice as many high-tech jobs than
any other state, and its average high-tech employee wage ($90,600 in
2004) leads the nation;[2] and
WHEREAS California's Web content, e-commerce, networking,
telecommunications, entertainment, broadcasting, and computer software
and hardware businesses have placed the State at the forefront of the
Internet revolution, but to continue to be a world-class leader,
California must adopt next-generation policies and practices that spur
on further broadband innovation; and
WHEREAS State action is needed to continue investment in, stimulate
adoption of, and remove further barriers to the development of
world-class broadband networks; and
WHEREAS it is an executive priority to promote widespread access to,
adoption of, and new applications for broadband networks and advanced
communication services; and
WHEREAS section 709 of the California Public Utilities Code establishes
that it is the State's policy to encourage expanded access to
state-of-the-art technologies for rural, inner-city, low-income, and
disabled Californians; and
WHEREAS the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a
report on Broadband Deployment in California that, among other items,
(1) specifies how the State can be a leader in promoting the
availability and use of broadband services, (2) calls for the creation
of
a California Broadband Task Force, (3) endorses increased use of
advanced communication services for government operations and public
access, and (4) recommends limiting rights-of-way (ROW) fees assessed
upon broadband providers; and
WHEREAS the Governor's Cabinet - led by the Business, Transportation and
Housing Agency (BTH) - convened seventeen meetings on regional economic
vitality, and civic leaders in all of these meetings called for
increased broadband deployment; and
WHEREAS in accordance with Executive Order S-5-05, the California
Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley has made accelerating the
deployment of broadband networks and advanced communication services
part of its Work Plan; and
WHEREAS ninety-two percent of California's land contains only fifteen
percent of the State's population, and some of the communities in these
rural areas lack the multiple telecommunication connections necessary
for linking to outside resources during states of emergency, such as
catastrophic fires, floods, and earthquakes; and
WHEREAS in accordance with Executive Order S-12-06, broadband networks
are needed to create a sustainable eHealth network that connects rural
health clinics to other State medical centers; and
WHEREAS the increased State use of broadband networks and advanced
communication services will enhance government operations through
telemedicine for healthcare, distance learning for education, and better
coordination in the areas of public safety.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of
California, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the
Constitution and statutes of the State of California, do hereby issue
this order and direct as follows:
1. The State shall create a California Broadband Task Force. This Task
Force will bring together public and private stakeholders to remove
barriers to broadband access, identify opportunities for increased
broadband adoption, and enable the creation and deployment of new
advanced communication technologies.
a. Within thirty days of the date of this Executive Order, the Office of
the Governor will name an odd number of members, no less than eleven and
no more than nineteen, to the California Broadband Task Force. These
members shall include, but are not limited to, representatives from
government entities having a role in infrastructure deployment,
information technology, and economic development; representatives from
California's private sector technology, telecommunication, and
investment industries; and representatives of non-profit organizations.
Two of the members shall serve as co-chairs of the California Broadband
Task Force. One of these two co-chairs shall be the Secretary of BTH;
the other will be selected by the Office of the Governor.
b. Within ninety days of the date of this Executive Order, the
California Broadband Task Force shall provide a preliminary report to
the Office of the Governor that identifies administrative actions that
can result in immediate promotion of broadband access and usage within
the State. 
c. Within one year of the date of this Executive Order, the California
Broadband Task Force shall provide a comprehensive report to the Office
of the Governor and Legislature. This report shall make specific
recommendations for how California can take advantage of opportunities
for and eliminate any related barriers to broadband access and adoption.
d. The California Broadband Task Force shall pay particular attention to
how broadband can be used to substantially benefit educational
institutions, healthcare institutions, community-based organizations,
and governmental institutions. It shall coordinate statewide and
regional efforts with public and private stakeholders to obtain and
maximize grant and loan funding available for broadband deployment and
development projects in the State. Discussions with private sector
stakeholders will identify further opportunities for increasing
investment in state-of-the-art technologies. 
2. BTH shall be the Lead Agency for coordinating implementation of
policies and practices launched by Sections 1-7 and 9(a) of this
Executive Order. Among other responsibilities, BTH shall manage
broadband data collection, in consultation with the CPUC, and develop a
baseline and metrics for measuring broadband usage and benefits within
the State. BTH shall work with other relevant agencies to provide an
annual report to the Office of the
Governor and Legislature on types and locations of broadband
technologies deployed in the State, as well as public agency practices
supporting broadband access, adoption, and applications. The first
report shall be due within one year of the date of this Executive Order.
3. To encourage public/private partnerships among broadband
stakeholders, BTH shall establish a database that identifies current and
prospective projects for deploying broadband. A pilot database shall be
available for use by broadband providers, State entities, and
municipalities within 120 days of the date of this Executive Order. 
4. All agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and offices of the
executive branch under my supervisory authority (State Agencies) shall
place broadband conduit in their infrastructure projects if there is
sufficient demand for the conduit. Conduit placed within infrastructure
projects shall be designed to be used by multiple government entities
and broadband providers. 
5. To promote and encourage broadband access, any charge to wired
broadband providers for State ROW usage shall be based on the actual
costs incurred by the State. The California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) shall propose a new rate structure pursuant to this policy
within sixty days of the date of this Executive Order. 
6. BTH shall lead a statewide effort to streamline ROW permitting. State
Agencies granting ROW access shall adopt policies to standardize and
expedite the processing of broadband providers' applications, and within
120 days of the date of this Executive Order, State Agencies shall adopt
a uniform application for broadband providers seeking ROW use. State
Agencies shall provide BTH annual progress reports on their permitting
practices, including how long it takes to process applications. The
first progress report shall be submitted to BTH within one year of the
date of this Executive Order.
7. BTH shall direct development and use of an interagency best practices
guide for resolution of ROW disputes between State Agencies and
broadband providers. The dispute resolution process shall be designed in
a manner that promotes broadband access, adoption, and applications.
State Agencies shall create the best practices guide within 180 days of
the date of this Executive Order, and State Agencies shall be in
compliance with this guide within 180 days of its creation.
8. To accelerate deployment of wireless broadband, the Department of
General Services (DGS) shall enter into a contract with one or more
companies that will place, construct, and maintain wireless broadband
equipment on top of select State Agency buildings. State Agencies
agreeing to the contract terms will avoid time-consuming separate
negotiations and will enable faster build out of wireless broadband
networks. DGS shall make every effort to complete this contract process
within 180 days of the date of this Executive Order.
9. State Agencies shall lead by example and take the following actions
to make State government more efficient and effective:
a. In order to plan for future broadband deployment projects, State
Agencies shall provide information to BTH that allows the Agency to map
existing State infrastructure. These assets include, but are not limited
to, the following: ROW owned by the State, ROW subject to State
regulation, broadband infrastructure owned by the State, broadband
infrastructure leased by the State, State buildings (owned or leased),
and investment projects relating to broadband.
b. DGS and the Department of Technology Services (DTS) shall facilitate
State use of streaming video technologies to broadcast public meetings
over the Internet, enable remote access to staff training materials, and
give widespread emergency notifications. Within 180 days of the date of
this Executive Order, DGS shall enter into a contract with one or
multiple companies for offering Webcasting services to State Agencies.
DTS shall provide technical consulting and training to State Agencies
that elect to use Webcasting services.
c. To enable the use of cost-effective videoconferencing, DGS shall
identify State Agencies with significant field office operations and
provide them information on how video conferencing may increase Agency
efficiency.
d. DGS shall encourage the offering of wireless Internet access in State
facilities that are most used by the public. DGS shall identify State
buildings that may be appropriate for wireless Internet access and
provide them information on the benefits of offering this service. In
particular, DGS shall pursue deployment of wireless Internet access in
the State Capitol Building, which hosts several hundred thousand
visitors each year. DGS shall make a proposal to the Legislature and
Office of the Governor for wireless access in the Capitol within 180
days of the date of this Executive Order.
e. DGS and DTS shall enable the deployment of Voice over Internet
Protocol (VoIP) technologies that meet the business needs of State
Agencies and improve quality of service provided to California
residents. Within 180 days of the date of this Executive Order, DGS
shall enter into a contract with one or multiple companies for offering
VoIP services to State Agencies. DTS shall provide technical consulting
and training to State Agencies that elect to use this contract.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that State Agencies shall cooperate in the
implementation of this Order. Other entities of State government not
under my direct executive authority, including the CPUC, the University
of California, the California State University, California Community
Colleges, constitutional officers, and legislative and judicial branches
are requested to assist in its implementation.
This order is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or
benefits, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity,
against the State of California, its departments, agencies, or other
entities, its officers or employees, or any other person. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that soon as hereafter possible, this Order shall
be filed with the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread
publicity and notice shall be given to this Order.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal
of the State of California to be affixed this 27th day of October 2006.
 
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor of California
ATTEST:
BRUCE McPHERSON
Secretary of State
 
 
Gregg Foster
Executive Director
Redwood Region Economic Development Commission
520 E Street
Eureka, CA  95501
707-445-9651
707-445-9652 (fax)
rredc at northcoast.com <mailto:rredc at northcoast.com> 
www.rredc.com <http://www.rredc.com> 
 
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