May 29 Support for AB 2279 (Gipson): Regional Broadband Consortia Grant Account

May 29^th, 2026

Assemblymember Gipson

1021 O Street, Suite 6210

Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: AB 2279 California Advanced Services Fund: Rural and Urban Regional Broadband Consortia Grant Account – support 

Dear Assemblymember Gipson,

On behalf of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, I write in support of your authored bill, AB 2279, that would expand the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) rules of the Regional Consortia Grant Account, allowing counties like ours to advance broadband adoption, affordability and digital inclusion for our residents.

Regional Broadband Consortia (RBCs) were created in 2010 to help close the digital divide by working with Internet Service Providers to apply for CPUC broadband deployment grants. Marin County is a member of the North Bay / North Coast Broadband Consortium (NBNCBC) along with counties of Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma. However, other necessary activities, such as promoting broadband adoption and digital inclusion, were not included in the RBCs approved workplans. Despite strong progress in making broadband accessible through numerous deployment grants, many low-income, disabled, or disadvantaged residents are still being left behind due to the high cost of broadband or lack of computer skills.

This bill would address these issues, allowing RBCs to undertake activities to promote broadband adoption, digital literacy, and digital inclusion as trusted partners engaged in our communities. Expected outcomes include higher rates for Internet Service Providers that receive deployment grants through the CPUC’s Federal Funding Account program and the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant program, more residents taking advantage of the CPUC’s pilot Lifeline program for broadband, and improved access to jobs, skills training, and healthcare for low-income, disabled, or disadvantaged residents.

For these reasons, the County of Marin supports AB 2279 and we thank you for your leadership on this issue.

Sincerely,

Eric Lucan, President

Marin County Board of Supervisors

CC:       Marin County Board of Supervisors

            Assemblymember Damon Connolly

            Senator Mike McGuire