Community telecommunications alliances must have an advisory council, offer certain local entities a chance to join, and cannot be read to expand private network service eligibility or allow sharing or resale to ineligible persons.
Sec. 487.652. RULES GOVERNING PROGRAM. (a) Subject to available funding, the community telecommunications alliance program shall: (1) assist local communities in the creation and development of community telecommunications alliances, including alliances established to pursue rural economic development or innovative rural school health technology projects, by providing advice and assistance in assessing local uses of and local demands or needs for local telecommunications and information services of private sector providers; and (2) assist community telecommunications alliances in applying for grant funding for projects, including: (A) assisting alliances in securing matching private sector funding for projects; and (B) requiring alliances to develop sustainable plans: (i) that demonstrate how the alliance will continue to obtain private sector services once the grant funding terminates; (ii) that do not directly compete with local businesses, telecommunications providers, or information services providers; and (iii) that prohibit a network created with assistance from the alliance or other public funding from being sold to a direct competitor of a private sector provider. (b) Each community telecommunications alliance established under this section shall have an advisory council with representation from each of the following: (1) a local nonprofit organization; (2) a local county-elected official; (3) a local city-elected official; (4) a local telecommunications provider; (5) a local economic development group; (6) the local financial community; and (7) a local information services provider. (c) This chapter may not be construed to: (1) expand eligibility for private network services under Section 58.253(a) or 59.072(a), Utilities Code, to persons not eligible to purchase the services; or (2) permit the direct or indirect sharing or resale of private network services with persons not eligible to purchase the services. (d) A community telecommunications alliance created under this section shall offer the following local entities the opportunity to be included in the alliance: (1) a library; (2) a public school; (3) a public not-for-profit health care facility; and (4) a local institution of higher education. Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1151, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 831 (H.B. 735), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2008. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 148 (H.B. 1493), Sec. 38, eff. September 1, 2013.