A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning government agency assistance in services
Page 1, Line 102related to wireless communication.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov/.)
Cell Phone Connectivity Interim Study Committee. The bill requires the division of homeland security and emergency management in the department of public safety (division) to develop a single point of contact within the division to:
- Help ensure statewide coverage of the integrated public alert and warning system for wireless emergency alerts and the emergency alert system;
- Provide technical assistance to local jurisdictions on becoming integrated public alert and warning system certified;
- Provide technical assistance, consistent with the language access in emergency communications study, to implement best practices for inclusive alerting; and
- Offer recommendations to improve current wireless alert systems in Colorado that address language and access needs.
Under current law, the Colorado broadband office (office) has certain duties related to broadband in Colorado. The bill requires the office to also perform those duties for wireless services.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-33.5-1604, add (7) as follows:
Page 2, Line 324-33.5-1604. Duties and powers of the division - rules.
Page 2, Line 4(7) The division shall develop a single point of contact within the division to:
Page 2, Line 5(a) Help ensure statewide coverage of the integrated
Page 2, Line 6public alert and warning system for wireless emergency alerts and the emergency alert system;
Page 2, Line 7(b) Provide technical assistance to local jurisdictions on becoming integrated public alert and warning system certified;
Page 2, Line 8(c) Provide technical assistance, consistent with the
Page 2, Line 9study conducted pursuant to section 23-20-145 as it existed prior
Page 2, Line 10to July 1, 2024, to implement best practices for inclusive alerting; and
Page 2, Line 11(d) Offer recommendations to improve current wireless
Page 2, Line 12alert systems in Colorado that address language and access
Page 2, Line 13needs.
Page 3, Line 1SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-37.5-903, amend (2)(b) and (3) as follows:
Page 3, Line 224-37.5-903. Colorado broadband office - creation -
Page 3, Line 3responsibilities - gifts, grants, or donations. (2) (b) The broadband
Page 3, Line 4office shall provide technical assistance to applicants seeking grant
Page 3, Line 5awards from the grant program or other state or federal grant opportunities offered for deploying broadband and wireless service.
Page 3, Line 6(3) The broadband office shall:
Page 3, Line 7(a) Encourage, foster, develop, and strive to improve the
Page 3, Line 8availability of affordable, quality broadband and wireless service within the state;
Page 3, Line 9(b) Serve as the central broadband and wireless service policy coordination body for the state;
Page 3, Line 10(c) Coordinate with other state agencies, local governments, the
Page 3, Line 11federal government, Indian tribes and nations, other relevant broadband
Page 3, Line 12and wireless service partners, and consumers throughout the state to
Page 3, Line 13develop strategies and plans for promoting the deployment of broadband
Page 3, Line 14and wireless service infrastructure and greater broadband and wireless service access;
Page 3, Line 15(d) Review existing state broadband and wireless service
Page 3, Line 16initiatives, policies, and deployment by public or private entities in order to prioritize investment;
Page 3, Line 17(e) Develop and implement a statewide plan to encourage
Page 3, Line 18cost-effective broadband access and increased broadband usage and
Page 3, Line 19wireless services, particularly in rural unserved areas and other
Page 3, Line 20unserved areas of the state. The broadband office shall submit the
Page 3, Line 21statewide plan, and any updated versions of the statewide plan, to the
Page 4, Line 1chief information officer, the governor, and the joint technology
Page 4, Line 2committee and shall post the statewide plan on its public website. In
Page 4, Line 3developing a statewide plan and any other strategies for broadband deployment and wireless services, the broadband office shall consider:
Page 4, Line 4(I) Partnerships between communities; Indian tribes and nations;
Page 4, Line 5nonprofit organizations; local governments; electric utilities as defined in
Page 4, Line 6section 40-2-202 (1), cooperative electric associations as defined in
Page 4, Line 7section 40-9.5-102, municipally owned utilities, and nonprofit generation
Page 4, Line 8and transmission electric corporations or associations; rural
Page 4, Line 9telecommunications providers as defined in section 40-15-102 (24.5); and public and private entities;
Page 4, Line 10(II) Funding opportunities that allow for the coordination of
Page 4, Line 11public funding sources, including local governments, state government,
Page 4, Line 12and the federal government, and private funding sources for the purpose
Page 4, Line 13of deploying broadband and wireless service into rural unserved areas and other unserved areas of the state;
Page 4, Line 14(III) Barriers to the deployment, adoption, and utilization of
Page 4, Line 15broadband and wireless service, including a consideration of the affordability of broadband and wireless service; and
Page 4, Line 16(IV) Statewide broadband goals and whether statutory definitions
Page 4, Line 17for broadband in unserved areas need to be updated in response to advances made in broadband technology.
Page 4, Line 18(f) Collect broadband and wireless service data to create and
Page 4, Line 19update maps that measure the progress of broadband and wireless service deployment in the state;
Page 4, Line 20(g) Encourage public-private partnerships to increase deployment
Page 4, Line 21of broadband and wireless service throughout the state; and
Page 5, Line 1(h) In furtherance of the purposes set forth in this part 9, seek or apply for, accept, and expend:
Page 5, Line 2(I) Gifts, grants, or donations from public or private sources; and
Page 5, Line 3(II) Money from the federal government for broadband and
Page 5, Line 4wireless service deployment. The broadband office may seek and apply for all federal funds
for whichPage 5, Line 5SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 5, Line 6takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 5, Line 7ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 5, Line 8that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 5, Line 9of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 5, Line 10act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 5, Line 11effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 5, Line 12November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.