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“Californians are now a step closer gaining more reliable and equitable access to high-speed internet service,” Sen. Dodd said. “This is so important when families are relying more on the internet for remote school and work. I applaud committee members for taking this action to remove unnecessary delays and help close the digital divide.”
The approval of Senate Bill 556, or the California Connectivity Act, follows the recent passage of the state’s $262.6 billion budget, which includes $6 billion for broadband expansion.
SB 556 would make high-speed internet more widely available for schools and businesses by removing local discretion to put hurdles before small cell deployment – something that is critical for reliable high-speed internet.
It builds on existing law setting timelines and reasonable fees for processing and approving broadband projects.
The bill was introduced as employers and schools across the state have shifted to virtual participation, highlighting disparities of access faced by low-income families and people of color.
Nearly 42% of California families said unreliable internet access was a challenge for them during distance learning according to a recent poll by Ed Source and FM3 Research.
Sen. Dodd’s proposal is widely supported by businesses, schools and equity groups. It passed the Assembly Communications and Conveyance committee with overwhelming support.
The bill, previously approved by the full Senate, will now go to Assembly Appropriations before a final vote on the Assembly floor.
“SB 556 is a long-term solution to remove barriers and expand deployment of wireless infrastructure, ensuring that families have options in affordability and service for accessing education, health and more,” said Sara Bachez of the California Association of School Business Officials. “This critical legislation will help school districts across California increase broadband access and services for students, families and staff as we continue to provide online learning opportunities.”
“This bill provides a framework for 5G deployment for the benefit of both our community as well as the overall state of California,” wrote the leaders of Tech Latino, a network of 15 nonprofit advocacy groups, in a support letter. “We would like to ensure that Latinos will be a part of the smart and connected society of the future. We strongly support enactment of SB 556 to ensure the efficient deployment of the next generation of wireless infrastructure.”
Dodd represents the Third Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Yolo, Sonoma, Contra Costa, and Sacramento counties. For more information visit his website.
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- Written by: Lake County Library
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — “Life in the Past Lane,” a free genealogy class, will resume meeting at the Lakeport Library on 1425 N. High St. on Saturday, July 10, at 2 p.m. in the Children's Room.
The class will be held the second and fourth Saturday afternoons every month. The class is a collaboration between the Lake County Library and the Lake County Genealogical Society, or LCGS.
It’s free and open to anyone interested in pursuing family history. Registration is not required.Publishing
Rose Davidson, president of the LCGS, will lead the class, which will explore an array of genealogy topics through class discussions, presentations, lessons and online webinars. For more information about the class, email
Participants will learn about the different resources available at the library and within the community to research family history. The library has many historical resources about Lake County.
The library’s Lake County Collection contains books and other materials about Lake County history, genealogy, and other topics.
The library also has a collection of local newspapers on microfilm that cover Lake County history. These microfilm have newspapers going all the way back to 1863.
The class will be held in person. If you are planning to attend, please be advised face coverings are required to enter the library for people that are not vaccinated.
Library visitors self-attest they are fully vaccinated by entering the building with no mask on.
Visit the Lake County Library Website at http://library.lakecountyca.gov.
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The Lakeport Public Works Department advised that a closure on Lange Street will take place from Tuesday, July 6, through Friday, July 9.
The closure will be in effect on Lange Street from Giselman to the Terrace School entrance.
Drivers are asked to avoid the area if possible and to be cautious of workers.
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“The wildfire threat is not going away and we must take decisive action to protect life and property,” Sen. Dodd said. “The passage of these bills ensures our communities have adequate resources to respond when power is turned off and that we are working on new and better ways to prevent and respond to wildfire. I thank committee members for seeing the value in these proposals and look forward to approval by both houses of the Legislature.”
Senate Bill 52 follows a series of de-energizations from PG&E over the past two years that were intended to prevent fallen power lines and damaged equipment from sparking fires. It makes clear that such public safety power shutoffs are eligible for official emergency declarations, freeing financial assistance for local government under the Emergency Services Act.
SB 52 is supported by Napa County, California Fire Chiefs Association, Fire Districts Association of California, Regional Council of Rural Counties, Disability Rights California and the California Association of Public Authorities.
SB 109 Creates the Office of Emergency Technology Research and Development to study, produce and test new equipment to battle wildfires and other emergencies. Public, private and non-profit organizations and companies would join forces and become a state hub for firefighting advancements. SB 109 is supported by numerous groups including the California Fire Chiefs Association, the League of California Cities, Breathe California and the counties of Napa and Yolo.
Both bills passed the Assembly Utilities and Energy committee on Monday with overwhelming support after previously being approved by the full Senate. SB 52 heads to the Assembly floor and SB 109 goes to Assembly Appropriations.
Dodd represents the Third Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Solano, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties. Visit his website for more information.