California’s Future Online Accessibility Hinges on Transparency and Accountability
California Governor Rejects Bill Requiring Annual Internet Access Progress Reports
California Governor Gavin Newsom said no to a bill that wanted the state to report on its progress in getting more people access to the internet. The bill, AB 2708 was meant to make sure the state was being honest about how it was spending money to build a better internet system.
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(photo: Industry Insider – Government Technology)
California Lawmakers Clash Over Governor’s Plan to Reduce Internet Access Reporting Requirements
The man who wrote the bill, Assemblyman Jim Patterson, is worried that the governor’s plan only requires one report which won’t help us see how well we’re doing or what we need to improve. He thinks it’s better to report every year so we can track progress and fix problems as they come up. Also, he’s concerned that if we don’t do better we might lose $1.8 billion in federal money that can help us get more people online.
Patterson thinks the governor vetoed the bill because he doesn’t want the state legislature to have control over some things. He believes the governor wants to be in charge and doesn’t like it when the legislature tries to check in on him. Because it’s been a long time since anyone overruled a governor’s veto in California and it’s unlikely this decision will be changed, according to the report of The Center Square.
