CA Governor Gavin Newsom directs state agencies to bridge the digital divide

An executive order by California Governor Gavin Newsom directs state agencies to bridge the digital divide by pursuing a goal of 100 Mbps broadband download speed, accelerate mapping and data collection, and encourage funding and deployment. Currently, two million Californians lack access to high-speed broadband and, before the COVID-19 pandemic, about a fifth of students in California lacked broadband Internet or an appropriate computing device at home. 

“If done right, Governor Newsom’s broadband plan could be the stepping stone towards universal fiber that all communities need to embrace to compete in the gigabit era that 21st-century economies are entering,” said Ernesto Falcon of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. 

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Ahead of new school year, California schools receive critical funds to support distance learning and governor Newsom signs executive order directing state agencies to bridge digital divide (Office of Governor Gaven Newson, Aug. 14, 2020)

California Governor Newsom's broadband plan lays important foundation and opens possibilities (EFF, Aug. 18, 2020)