HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3559        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3802

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Brian W. Murray

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to low-cost internet service.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

1/18/2019

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

1/30/2019

William L. Crocker, Jr.

2nd Barnstable

1/30/2019

John Barrett, III

1st Berkshire

2/1/2019

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/1/2019

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

5/9/2019

Paul Brodeur

32nd Middlesex

5/9/2019

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

5/13/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

5/13/2019

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

5/14/2019

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

5/14/2019

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

5/14/2019

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

5/14/2019

Timothy R. Whelan

1st Barnstable

5/14/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3559        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3802

By Mr. Murray of Milford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3802) of Brian W. Murray and others relative to low-cost internet service.  Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act relative to low-cost internet service.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 25C of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 9.  (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Internet service provider”, a person who provides internet access to customers in the commonwealth.

“Qualifying senior”, a person residing in the commonwealth who is age 65 or older and who has a gross annual household income less than or equal to 200 per cent of the federal poverty level.

(b) Notwithstanding section 6A, section 8 or any other general or special law to the contrary, internet service providers shall offer and provide broadband internet access to qualifying seniors in the commonwealth at a discounted and affordable rate but not higher than the lowest discounted rate the internet service provider otherwise offers.  The internet service provider may require a person seeking a discounted and affordable rate under this section to provide proof that he or she is a qualifying senior.

(c) An internet service provider may offer and provide broadband internet access pursuant to subsection (b) through any technology, including, but not limited to, digital subscriber line, cable modem, wireless, satellite or fiber optics; provided, however, that the bandwidth shall not be less than 10 Mbps.

(d) The department shall conduct outreach to make residents of the commonwealth aware that internet service providers are required to provide certain qualifying seniors with a discounted and affordable rate for internet access pursuant to this section.

(e) The department may promulgate rules or regulations as are necessary to carry out this section.