HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 126

(By Delegates Guthrie, Young, Barrett, Sponaugle,

       Skinner, Lawrence, Barker, Lynch, Campbell, Moye,

       Marshall, Craig, Hartman, Iaquinta, Morgan, Perry,

       Pethtel, L. Phillips, M. Poling, Poore, Reynolds,

        Skaff, P. Smith, Staggers, Stephens, Walker, Wells

       and Williams)

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to authorize a study on approaches the state may take to prepare a master plan for providing broadband service in underserved and unserved areas of the state.

    Whereas, A Federal Communications Commission report deemed West Virginia forty-eighth among the states in terms the percentage of the population with access to broadband; and

    Whereas, The U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Commerce have both found that wages, jobs and the number of businesses grows faster in counties with broadband access than in counties that lack broadband access; and

    Whereas, West Virginia’s rural nature and unique terrain pose challenges to providing broadband access; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study approaches the state may take to prepare a master plan for providing broadband service in underserved and unserved areas of the state; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2015, on its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study and to prepare and draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.