ASSEMBLY, No. 2225

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 27, 1996

 

 

By Assemblywoman FARRAGHER

 

 

An Act providing for a State telecommunications network, establishing a commission to implement the installation of the network, providing for the revenue necessary therefor and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. The Legislature finds and declares:

    a. The increasing ability of telecommunications technology to provide immediate access to information sources and other resources throughout the world via the so-called information superhighway offers the State and its residents increasing opportunities, especially in employing this advanced technology for distance learning, and it is imperative that the State provide the means by which its citizens may benefit from this technology.

    b. It is in the best interest of the State and its citizens to provide schools, libraries and local governments throughout the State access to the information superhighway through the establishment of a State Telecommunications Network, thereby allowing the residents of this State to benefit from the resources available through the use of telecommunications technology.

    c. It is appropriate to establish a State Telecommunications Network Commission to oversee the planning, design and implementation of a State telecommunications network, and an appropriate funding source for the establishment, maintenance and operation of this network is the imposition of a monthly surcharge on each subscriber's phone bill.

 

    2. As used in this act:

    "Board" means the Board of Public Utilities.

    "Commission" means the State Telecommunications Network Commission established by section 3 of this act.

    "Office" means the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems in the Department of the Treasury.

    "Network" means the State Telecommunications Network established pursuant to this act to provide schools, libraries and local governments access to the information superhighway by implementing a telecommunications network with universal interconnectivity throughout the State.

 

    3. There is established in the Department of the Treasury a commission to be known as the State Telecommunications Network Commission which shall oversee the planning, design and implementation of a State telecommunications network to be established pursuant to this act to provide schools, libraries and local governments throughout the State access to the information superhighway.

    The commission shall consist of 15 members as follows: two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate who shall not both be of the same political party; two members of the General Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly who shall not both be of the same political party; the following members ex officio: the Commissioner of Education, the State Librarian, the President of the Board of Public Utilities; the Commissioner of Community Affairs, the Administrator of the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems in the Department of the Treasury; the following public members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate: a representative of the New Jersey School Boards Association, a representative of the New Jersey Education Association, a representative of the New Jersey Library Association, a representative of the telephone industry, a representative of the cable television industry, and a representative of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.

    The members of the Senate and General Assembly appointed to the commission shall serve for terms which shall be for the term for which they were elected. Of the public members first appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, two shall be appointed for terms of three years, two shall be appointed for terms of two years, and two shall be appointed for terms of one year. Thereafter, the public members of the commission shall be appointed for terms of three years. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment but for the unexpired term. Members may be removed by the appointing authority for cause. The initial members shall be appointed within 30 days of the effective date of this act. The commission shall have the authority to establish subcommittees as it deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this act.

    b. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but the public and legislative members shall be entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred in performance of their duties, within the limits of any funds appropriated or otherwise made available for that purpose.

    c. Each ex officio member may designate an employee of the member's department or agency to represent the member at meetings or hearings of the commission. All designees may lawfully vote and otherwise act on behalf of the members for whom they constitute the designees.

 

    4. a. The office shall, subject to review by the commission, and in consultation with the board, design, implement, administer and coordinate the State Telecommunications Network to be established pursuant to this act.

    b. To this end, the office shall establish, after review and approval by the commission, a State plan for the establishment and operation of the network, which plan shall include: the configuration of, and requirements for, the network; technical and operational standards for the operation of the network, including the requirement that the network provide universal connectivity; and the role and responsibilities of the schools, libraries and local governments in the implementation of the network.

    c. The State plan shall be established within nine months of the effective date of this act, except that the technical and operational standards specified in subsection b. of this section shall be established within six months of the effective date of this act.

    d. The office, after review and approval by the commission, may update and revise the plan from time to time.

    e. The office shall administer the monies in the State Telecommunications Network Fund, established in section 6 of P.L.19  , c. (C. )(now before the legislature as this bill).

 

    5. Notwithstanding any provision of law, rule, regulation or order to the contrary, every company providing local exchange telecommunications services shall collect, from every subscriber, a surcharge of $.50 per month per billing account. This surcharge shall be paid over to the State Telecommunications Network Fund, established in section 6 of P.L.19 , c. (C. )(now before the legislature as this bill), on a monthly basis, and in a manner provided by the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems in the Department of the Treasury.

 

    6. There is established in the Department of the Treasury a fund to be known as the "State Telecommunications Network Fund." The fund shall be credited with all monies collected pursuant to section 5 of P.L.199 , c. (C. )(now before the Legislature as this bill). All interest earned on the investment moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. The moneys in the fund shall be invested and reinvested in the same manner as trust funds in the custody of the State Treasurer. The moneys in the fund shall be administered by the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems in the Department of the Treasury. Moneys in the fund shall be used only for the purpose of establishing, maintaining and operating the State Telecommunications Network.

 

    7. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill would provide for the establishment of the State Telecommunications Network which would provide schools, libraries and local governments throughout the State access to the information superhighway.

    The information superhighway can provide immediate access to information sources and other resources throughout the world. The State Telecommunications Network would provide access to these resources to New Jersey's residents by providing that all schools, libraries and local governments throughout the State would be able to access the information superhighway. The State will be able to use these resources, available through advanced telecommunications technology, to provide greater opportunities, such as distance learning, to its citizens.

    The bill establishes the State Telecommunications Network Commission to oversee the planning, design and implementation of the network. The commission would comprise 15 members including: two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate who shall not both be of the same political party; two members of the General Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly who shall not both be of the same political party; the following members ex officio: the Commissioner of Education, the State Librarian, the President of the Board of Public Utilities; the Commissioner of Community Affairs, the Administrator of the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems in the Department of the Treasury; the following public members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate: a representative of the New Jersey School Boards Association, a representative of the New Jersey Education Association, a representative of the New Jersey Library Association, a representative of the telephone industry, a representative of the cable television industry, and a representative of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.

    The bill designates the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems in the Department of the Treasury as the administrator of the network. The office would design, implement and coordinate the network. The office would establish a State plan for the establishment and operation of the network, subject to the review and approval of the commission. The State plan would include the configuration of, and requirements for, the network; technical and operational standards for the operation of the network, including the requirement that the network provide universal connectivity; and the role and responsibilities of the schools, libraries and local governments in the implementation of the network.

    The bill also authorizes a surcharge of $.50 per month to be imposed on those subscribing to local exchange telephone services. The surcharge would be collected by telephone companies and paid over to the State Telecommunications Network Fund, established in the act. The State Telecommunications Network Fund would be administered by the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems and monies in the fund would be used only for the purpose of establishing, maintaining and operating the State Telecommunications Network.

 

 

                             

Establishes State Telecommunications Network and State Telecommunications Network Commission; imposes a surcharge on telephone service to fund network.