S.B. 487                                                  VETOES

WHEREAS, the Forvm for Rural Maryland and the rural regional development
organizations have repeatedly articulated the need for broadband Internet access to
create economically competitive communities, and are currently in the process of
performing studies to evaluate demand aggregation, establishing
business community partnerships for developing innovative communications service
provision, and making applications to the federal government for program and
infrastructure funding; and

WHEREAS, the Tri-County Council for Western Maryland has initiated a
follow-up "eReadiness Maryland" project to quantify current and future broadband
demand and identify specific investment requirements to make the region's
information infrastructure more accessible and robust; and

WHEREAS, the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland has organized a
formal task group of local and regional public and private sector representatives to
address the need for communications demand aggregation and the deployment of
infrastructure and services; and

WHEREAS, the Mid-Shore Regional Council and Tri-County Council for the
Lower Eastern Shore have authorized a formal study to quantify current and future
demand and identify specific investment requirements that will make the region's
information infrastructure more accessible and robust; and

WHEREAS, there is a need for a comprehensive State plan to support the local
and regional implementation of programs for broadband communications services in
rural areas; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article—State Finance and Procurement

3-702.

(a) The Department shall:

(1) coordinate the development, procurement, management and
operation of telecommunication equipment, systems, and services by State
government, BOTH BY DIRECT ACQUISITION AND BY USE OF OTHER PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE INFRASTRUCTURE;

(2) acquire and manage common user telecommunication equipment,
systems, [or] AND services and [charge] PROVIDE A STANDARD INTERFACE FOR
COMMON BACKBONE SERVICES AT A FLAT RATE TO units of State government [for
their proportionate share of the costs of installation, maintenance, and operation of
the common user telecommunication equipment, systems, or services] AND MAKE
SUPPLEMENTAL INTENSIVE HIGH BANDWIDTH SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THOSE
UNITS AT ADDITIONAL COST;

(3) promote compatibility of telecommunication systems by developing
policies, procedures, and standards for the acquisition and use of telecommunication
equipment, systems, and services by units of State government;

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