HAMBURG, N.Y. — New York State Assemblyman Sean Ryan on Friday provided an update on the new broadband bill that passed in the State Assembly and Senate two weeks ago.
The bill calls for a one-year study of broadband availability across the state, which will be conducted by the Public Service Commission.
You may recall from 2 On Your Side reporting that the state broadband office has continuously said that New York has 98 percent broadband availability, but lawmakers were vocal about the reality of that claim when they passed the bill.
Ryan says the bill should be sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo within the next 30 days, and he emphasized the importance of it now that schools have issued their hybrid learning plans during the coronavirus pandemic.
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"We have communities all over Western New York that don't have reliable internet connectivity," Ryan said. "So how are we going to educate those kids on the hybrid model if, in fact, they can't stream the teachers coming into their house, and all they get is the wheel going around?
"This really brings to attention why we need to start treating broadband just like any other public utility."
It's unclear if the Governor Cuomo will sign the bill into law once it arrives on his desk. Earlier this year, he vetoed a similar broadband bill that would have identified broadband availability across the state.
