Dover mayor, council urge calls on HB 110
Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen urged council members and the public to call their state representatives regarding the so-called “government-owned broadband network” amendment to the budget bill, House Bill 110.
At the June 21 meeting of Dover City Council, Mayor Richard Homrighausen urged council members and the public to call their state representatives regarding the so-called “government-owned broadband network” amendment to the budget bill, House Bill 110.
The proposed amendment would basically ban cities, towns, townships, school districts and other local bodies from building and operating broadband networks. Such networks often not only provide much-needed connections to customers in unserved areas, but also offer more affordable internet service to residents.
Homrighausen called it an “onerous amendment” and an “attack on home rule that limits the choices of residents.” He cited the Ohio Municipal League, the Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association and other organizations opposing the legislation.
Ohio Senate Republicans are said to have quietly added the omnibus budget amendment and passed it as part of the budget bill June 9. The amendment was added by the Senate Finance Committee at purportedly at the 11th hour, leaving no opportunity for public comment and is believed to be a last-ditch effort to restrict or eliminate competition in areas, which already have broadband coverage.
An article on the National Digital Inclusion Alliance website stated the amendment is “widely believed to be the work of lobbyists for Charter Spectrum,” and the bill was “never introduced, debated or even mentioned in a public session of the committee.”
While the legislation would allow cities and towns to provide service to unserved areas, the definition of “unserved” would disqualify more than 98% of the state, according to Ars Technica, a website covering news and opinions in technology, science, politics and society.
According to the Community Networks team at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, passage of the amendment would make Ohio the first state to severely restrict the establishment and expansion of municipal broadband networks.
Breaking it down
The “Government-owned broadband network” amendment, if passed, would prohibit the following:
1. According to the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, any city, county, township or other local group from owning, operating or partnering with a network that provides broadband internet service to users in an area that already has broadband access, either wired or wireless.
2. Any of those same groups, plus any other “political subdivision” from using federal funds to build or provide broadband service to subscribers.
3. Any of those same groups from using any public money to fund or subsidize the development and delivery of broadband service to subscribers.
Council President Shane Gunnoe agreed with the mayor’s assessment of the proposed legislation, saying, “The proposed ban on municipal broadband systems is something that certainly could be detrimental to the city.”
Time is of the essence
Homrighausen said “time is of the essence,” as the budget must be sent to Governor DeWine for his signature before June 30.
Gunnoe and Homrighausen are asking the public to contact Brett Hillyer as soon as possible to urge removal of the amendment from House Bill 110. Hillyer can be reached via email at ohiohouse.gov in the members section or by calling 614-466-8035.
Senator Jay Hottinger can also be contacted to voice disapproval of the senate’s passage of the amendment. Hottinger can be reached by email through ohiosenate.gov in the senators section or by calling 614-466-5838.