(a) The department shall provide oversight and policy input for the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network.

(b) (1) Within the department shall be a Deputy Director for Broadband, who shall be appointed by, and hold office at the pleasure of, the Governor.

(2) The Deputy Director for Broadband shall be the primary point of contact for the third-party administrator, the commission, the Department of Transportation, and the Legislature.

(c) (1) The department shall establish a broadband advisory committee to monitor the construction and establishment of the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network.

(2) The broadband advisory committee shall comprise all of the following members:

(A) A representative of the commission.

(B) A representative of the department.

(C) A representative of the Department of Transportation.

(D) A representative of the Department of Finance.

(E) A representative of the Government Operations Agency.

(F) Two ex officio members, who shall be members of the Assembly and be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. These ex officio members shall serve at the pleasure of the Speaker of the Assembly.

(G) Two ex officio members, who shall be members of the Senate and be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. These ex officio members shall serve at the pleasure of the Senate Committee on Rules.

(H) A city, county, or city and county elected government official, who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. This member shall serve at the pleasure of the Speaker of the Assembly.

(I) A city, county, or city and county elected government official, who shall be appointed by the Senate Rules Committee. This member shall serve at the pleasure of the Senate Rules Committee.

(3) The representative of the department shall chair the broadband advisory committee.

(d) The broadband advisory committee shall meet no less often than monthly for the first 12 months following the effective date of this section, and shall meet quarterly thereafter.

(e) The third-party administrator shall seek policy advice from the broadband advisory committee.

(f) (1) On or before March 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the office, in consultation with the department and the Department of Finance, shall report to both budget committees of the Legislature all of the following:

(A) The total length of the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network.

(B) The length of the portion of the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network constructed in the preceding year, by quarter.

(C) The number of internet service providers using the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network.

(D) The number of households projected to connect to the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network.

(E) The total expenditures for each project, by quarter.

(F) The projected goals for each of the metrics described in subparagraphs (A) to (E), inclusive, for the 18 months following the report.

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795.

(g) Upon execution of any contract for the lease, build, or joint-build of any portion of the middle-mile broadband network pursuant to this chapter, the department shall within 60 days update a map on its public internet website to identify those segments of this network that will be built, leased, or jointly built pursuant to those contracts.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 45, Sec. 17. (AB 127) Effective July 10, 2023.)