Item Description:
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Resolution Supporting the Affordable Connectivity Program and Continued Federal Funding -
Sponsored by Commissioner Anderson and Commissioner Goettel
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WHEREAS:
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WHEREAS, broadband connectivity is a critical piece of infrastructure, which Hennepin County residents rely on to access essential services, including many Hennepin County resources and digital services, and other healthcare, educational and employment opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County envisions digital equity as a future where every county resident-regardless of income, background, or location-can easily and safely use modern technology to help realize their life goals; and
WHEREAS, disparities in digital access, commonly referred to as the "digital divide," correlate with other disparities in economic, social, and health outcomes, and specifically, that residents who are Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, older residents, households with lower incomes, and people who are not proficient in English, are disproportionately affected by the digital divide; and
WHEREAS, in 2021 as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Congress established and funded the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which helps eligible households afford monthly broadband connectivity, and provides a monthly subsidy to more than 23 million households nationwide, including nearly 245,000 in Minnesota and more than 55,000 in Hennepin County; and
WHEREAS, funding for the ACP is nearly exhausted and the program is expected to cease in May 2024; and the loss of the program would have significant negative effects including, according to a recent national survey of enrollees, a wide majority that said that losing ACP support would disrupt their broadband connectivity, forcing them to change or drop their internet plan; and
WHEREAS, the proposed, bipartisan ACP Extension Act would provide continued funding for the program and ensure these households are...
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