Washington HB 1503: Preventing unfunded mandates involving on-site sewage systems from affecting local governments and property owners.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to furthering digital equity and opportunity in 1
Washington state; amending RCW 43.330.532, 43.330.534, 43.330.536, 2
43.330.539, and 43.330.5395; reenacting and amending RCW 43.330.530; 3
adding new sections to chapter 43.06D RCW; creating new sections; and 4
recodifying RCW 43.330.539 and 43.330.5395.5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature reaffirms the findings 7
made in section 102, chapter 265, Laws of 2022, in particular the 8
findings that access to the internet is essential to participating in 9
modern day society; the cost of being online continues to be 10
unaffordable for many people in both rural and urban areas; and that, 11
across the state, there is a lack of affordable plans, barriers to 12
enrolling in appropriate broadband plans, and barriers to fully 13
utilizing the opportunities that broadband offers.14
The legislature further reaffirms its intent to broaden access to 15
the internet, the appropriate devices, and the skills to operate 16
online safely and effectively so that all people in Washington can 17
fully participate in our society, democracy, and economy by expanding 18
assistance and support programs offered in the state.19
To support the state's efforts in providing access to the 20
internet and the skills to effectively and safely utilize it, the 21
H-1787.1
SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1503
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By House Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives
Gregerson, Ryu, Ortiz-Self, Berry, Peterson, Reed, Goodman, Ormsby,
Parshley, Macri, Ramel, Hill, and Bergquist)
READ FIRST TIME 02/28/25.
p. 1 2SHB 1503

legislature intends to support existing cross-agency collaboration, 1
in particular between the department of commerce and the office of 2
equity. The legislature intends to facilitate this collaboration, in 3
which the department of commerce has primary responsibility for 4
increasing access to broadband and related infrastructure, and the 5
office of equity has primary responsibility for increasing digital 6
equity by facilitating the provision of digital devices and services 7
to individuals and communities in Washington.8
Sec. 2. RCW 43.330.530 and 2022 c 265 s 301 and 2022 c 237 s 2 9
are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:10
The definitions in this section apply throughout this section and 11
RCW 43.330.532 through 43.330.538, 43.330.412, and 43.330.5393((, and 12
43.330.5395)) unless the context clearly requires otherwise.13
(1)(a) "Advanced telecommunications capability" means, without 14
regard to any transmission media or technology, high-speed, switched, 15
broadband telecommunications capability that enables users to 16
originate and receive high quality voice, data, graphics, and video 17
telecommunications using any technology.18
(b) "Advanced telecommunications capability" does not include 19
access to a technology that delivers transmission speeds below the 20
minimum download and upload speeds provided in the definition of 21
broadband in this section.22
(2) "Aging individual" means an individual 55 years of age or 23
older.24
(3) "Board" means the public works board established in RCW 25
43.155.030.26
(4) "Broadband" or "broadband service" means any service 27
providing advanced telecommunications capability and internet access 28
with transmission speeds that, at a minimum, provide 100 megabits per 29
second download and 20 megabits per second upload.30
(5) "Broadband adoption" means the process by which an individual 31
obtains daily access to and the ability to use the internet:32
(a) At a speed, quality, price, and capacity necessary for the 33
individual to accomplish common tasks, such that the access qualifies 34
as an advanced telecommunications capability;35
(b) Providing individuals with the digital skills necessary to 36
participate fully and safely online;37
(c) On a device connected to the internet and other advanced 38
telecommunications services via a secure and convenient network, with 39
p. 2 2SHB 1503

associated end-user broadband infrastructure equipment such as wifi 1
mesh router or repeaters to enable the device to adequately use the 2
internet network; and3
(d) With technical support and digital navigation assistance to 4
enable continuity of service and equipment use and utilization.5
(6) "Broadband infrastructure" means networks of deployed 6
telecommunications equipment and technologies necessary to provide 7
high-speed internet access and other advanced telecommunications 8
services to end users.9
(7) "Community anchor institution" means a public school, a 10
public housing authority, a library, a medical or health care 11
provider, a community college or other institution of higher 12
education, a state library agency, or other nonprofit or governmental 13
community support organization for the purposes of broadband 14
connectivity or facilitating use of broadband service by underser