April 27, 2010 - Legislative Report #16

End of Session in Sight

Mercifully the 2009-2010 Legislative Session is drawing to a close in 20 days. I have abstained from writing too many reports this year for a couple of reasons.

First, and frankly, the DFL leadership is totally bent on absconding your property, wealth and personal liberty like never before. Second, and unfortunately, some Republicans and our governor occasionally have joined in the process of passing such legislation.

One such law is House File 2907 signed by our Republican governor on April 26, 2010. This unlimited mandate basically requires that Minnesota government provide internet access to ALL parts of the state. Minnesota maintains an internet system superior to 90% of all other states in our country, supplying internet services equal to or exceeding the top 5% of governments around the world.

Additionally, Minnesota state government departments are free to develop more government bureaucracy, advisory boards, and commissions requiring additional government cost to taxpayers, amounting to basically an endless state funded blank check.

Do not let the code word "Goal" in this bill, lull you into thinking this internet superiority concept is a suggestion. On the contrary, from past legislative experience the operative word "Goal" is in House File 2907, and now the law is "mandated" by language in the bill stating "...but no later than 2015...".

As the session comes to a close in 2010, "We the People" clearly received the short end of whatever carrot the elected leadership has offered us. The session could not end fast enough for any citizen who dared take a look at the legislative carnage from 2009-2010. House File 2907 gives testimony to the clueless leadership Minnesota has in Saint St. Paul, and specifically
our House 50-A. House File 2907 did NOTHING to reduce the size, scope and intrusion of government, or reduce the confiscation of private wealth (taxation), but in fact did just the opposite.

With a state funding shortfall exceeding $8,000,000,000.00 anticipated in 2011-2012 and more beyond that, House File 2907 only adds to the taxpayer burden through creating additional government. In conclusion, no matter what public servants say from Saint St. Paul, in the end only 16 House Representatives resisted House File 2907, and our "no new taxes" governor signed into law a tax increase named House File 2907.

H.F. No. 2907, 1st Committee Engrossment - 86th Legislative Session (2009-2010) Posted on Feb 22, 2010
1.1A bill for an act
1.2 relating to communications; setting state goals for the deployment and speed
1.3 of high-speed broadband; requiring reports; proposing coding for new law in
1.4 Minnesota Statutes, chapter 237.
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 Section 1. [237.012] BROADBAND GOALS.
1.7 Subdivision 1. Universal access and high-speed goal. It is the goal of this state
1.8 that, no later than 2015, all state residents and businesses have access to broadband that
1.9 provides download speeds of no less than ten megabits per second and upload speeds
1.10 of no less than five megabits per second.
1.11 Subd. 2. State broadband leadership position. It is the goal of this state that by
1.12 2015, and continuing thereafter:
1.13(1) the proportion of Minnesota residents and businesses having access to broadband
1.14 ranks among the five states in the United States and the 15 nations globally that have the
1.15 highest proportion of that measure; and
1.16 (2) Minnesota ranks among the five states in the United States with the highest
1.17 broadband speed that is universally accessible to state residents and businesses.
1.18 Subd. 3. Annual reports. By February 10, 2011, and each year thereafter, the
1.19 commissioner of commerce shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority
1.20 members of the house of representatives and senate committees with primary jurisdiction
1.21over telecommunications policy measuring the progress made towards achieving the
1.22 goals under subdivisions 1 and 2. The report must identify any barriers impeding the
1.23 achievement of the goals, suggest strategies to overcome those barriers, and estimate
1.24 the cost of implementing those strategies.
2.1 Subd. 4. Advisory group. By July 1, 2010, the commissioner of commerce shall
2.2 appoint and convene a broadband goal advisory group consisting of no more than 15
2.3 members representing, at a minimum, the following sectors: providers of telephone,
2.4 cable, and wireless services; cities; counties; libraries; a labor organization representing
2.5 communications workers; and citizens-at-large. The commission shall meet at least
2.6 quarterly and shall seek public input. The broadband goal advisory group shall advise the
2.7 commissioner of commerce and the house of representatives and senate committees with
2.8 primary jurisdiction over telecommunications policy regarding strategies to achieve the
2.9 goals under subdivision 1. This subdivision expires June 30, 2015.
2.10 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.