§ 9-12-1509. Advisory council; broadband coordinator.

(a) The business council shall, in consultation with the economically needed diversity options for Wyoming (ENDOW) executive council, establish a broadband advisory council consisting of eleven (11) members. One (1) member shall be the state chief information officer or his designee. Remaining members shall be appointed by the council from the public at–large, with geographic diversity and to include diverse interests, including backgrounds in economic development, state or local government entities, broadband providers, technology related businesses, health care, education, library services and public safety. At least one (1) representative of the Northern Arapaho or Eastern Shoshone tribes of the Wind River Indian Reservation shall be appointed to the advisory council. One (1) senator appointed by the president of the senate and one (1) representative appointed by the speaker of the house shall serve as legislative liaisons to the advisory council. Legislative liaisons shall be paid salary, per diem and mileage as provided in W.S. 28-5-101 when attending meetings of the advisory council. Members of the advisory council shall receive no salary, but shall be reimbursed under W.S. 9-3-102 and 9-3-103 for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

(b) The advisory council shall provide advice and make recommendations to the business council on the following subjects:

(i) The development of an inventory and map of current broadband availability, as provided by voluntary submission from broadband providers and derived from other resources, including Federal Communications Commission reports, and identification of areas of the state unserved by broadband technology;

(ii) Needs, practices and technologies for providing broadband services in the most efficient manner possible, to accommodate economic growth, diversification and development, and enhance education opportunities;

(iii) Coordination with the ENDOW executive council, the state chief information officer and local and tribal governmental entities to ensure that state and local policies are conducive to development of broadband services;

(iv) Applications received under this article, as requested by the council;

(v) Propose to the council:

(A) A state broadband enhancement plan, for adoption by the council not later than September 1, 2018;

(B) Not later than March 1, 2020, propose recommended changes to upload and download speeds specified in the definition of unserved areas, including unserved residential and business corridors.

(c) The business council shall, in consultation with the ENDOW executive council and the governor’s office, designate an employee of the business council as coordinator of broadband services. The person designated shall have expertise in telecommunications and specifically in the provision of broadband services. As directed by the business council, the coordinator shall staff the broadband advisory council. The coordinator shall, with approval of the business council, accomplish the tasks set forth in paragraphs (b)(i) through (v) of this section and undertake other duties as assigned by the business council in consultation with the governor’s office. The business council may contract with a consultant to provide services to the broadband advisory council and to the business council under this act.