Issue Position: Rural Broadband

Issue Position

I was proud to support SB 402, the first step toward universal broadband in Georgia. Rural parts of our state are still lagging behind in modern telecommunications technology -- specifically with access to the Internet. In 1935, the U.S. embarked on a mission to route electricity to every home in America, no matter how rural. Later additions of telephone service and eventually television helped to tie rural towns and big cities into one larger distinctly American society. Just as President Roosevelt set a goal to electrify rural areas, the Georgia General Assembly is working to provide high-speed broadband Internet service to rural Georgia. In most rural areas, students have to drive to a McDonald's so they can do their online homework. Doctors and hospitals have to set up their own networks to communicate outside their areas. Businesses are unable to locate themselves in some areas because they cannot effectively communicate online without significant network investment. SB 402 sets up the framework for universal rural broadband service that will make our Georgia communities competitive in the global economy.

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