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Legislators Hope to Boost Broadband Adoption Among Hispanics

The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators wants to put digital literacy and technology training for Hispanics in the national spotlight.

Calling broadband an “equalizer and an economic engine,” a task force of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL) released in October its first white paper, which calls for a national focus on digital literacy and training for Hispanic communities, particularly Spanish-dominant homes, because they’re falling behind on access to technology.

The paper, Expanding Opportunities in the Hispanic Community: Solutions for Increased Broadband Access, identifies a policy framework and recommendations for providing digital inclusion to Latino communities.

The NHCSL’s report said 59 percent of Hispanics have adopted broadband, compared with 79 percent of whites and 69 percent of African-Americans. Only 47 percent of Hispanics have broadband access at home.

The NHCSL represents more than 300 Hispanic state legislators. The white paper, written to bring broadband policy to the forefront of the Latino legislative agenda, was released by the organization’s Broadband En Acción task force. Rhode Island Sen. Juan Pichardo said task force members analyzed the impact that the National Broadband Plan would have on Hispanic communities. “Broadband is not only an issue of interest,” he wrote. “It is one of the keys to America’s economic prosperity. This is especially true for Latino communities.”

Unveiled in March, the federal government’s plan seeks to expand and increase access nationwide to high-speed Internet. The Barack Obama administration believes it will stimulate economic growth, spur job creation, and boost the nation’s capabilities in education, health care and homeland security.

The NHCSL also points out that broadband adoption lags in Spanish-speaking homes and attributes this to a lack of digital literacy, price barriers and lack of perceived benefits of broadband adoption. The National Broadband Plan identifies policy solutions for broadband adoption and accessibility solutions, but the report said the net neutrality battle could threaten those goals.

“An environment that fosters competition and innovation will help bridge the digital technology gap and create new opportunities for growth and expansion of social and financial goals within the Hispanic community,” the report stated. “Conversely net neutrality rules disincentivize private investment.”

The report also addressed broadband as a way to close health-care disparities by using new IT to improve Latinos’ access to quality health care. Telemedicine is one potential technology that could be utilized more often.

Miriam Jones is a former chief copy editor of Government Technology, Governing, Public CIO and Emergency Management magazines.