CALLING ALL COUNTY CHAMPIONS

 

The Florida Association of Counties, through the ACCESS 67 Initiative, continues to pursue a comprehensive approach to empower Florida’s counties to develop solutions to address the impacts of the lack of ACCESS to critical telecommunication and information technology resources in Florida communities. This work continues with the Presidential Select Committee on Broadband. Commissioners from each corner of the state, both rural and urban, bring their perspectives to tackling this problem.

   

   

 

FAC hopes to support the Department of Economic Opportunity’s Office of Broadband in implementing the provisions of HB 969 passed in the 2020 Legislative Session and HB 1239 passed in the 2021 Legislative Session. This includes building and facilitating Local Technology Planning Teams, or partnerships with members representing cross-sections of the community.

 

This is where we need YOUR help…FAC and the Select Committee have asked each County to identify designate a commissioner to be the lead county contact for “all things broadband”: the ACCESS 67 County Champion. The county champion for broadband will have their “eye on the ball” on current developments to improve internet access and collaborate with their community.

 

 

Then, start the LTPT process:

 

(a) Initiate a meeting of the LTPT members to begin a discussion and self-evaluation of internet access and capacity.

 

(b) If your county has already performed a feasibility study or is moving forward with a Broadband plan, send your plan to FAC staff and DEO’s Office of Broadband.

   

    

 

For more information about ACCESS 67 and the County Champions for Broadband, contact FAC Associate Director for Public Policy Jeff Scala at jscala@fl-counties.com.