Helping to expand broadband access in many rural communities throughout California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced he has signed Senate Bill 1191 by Sen. Elaine Alquist authorizing community service districts to provide broadband services to their residents.

"We live in an age where technology drives everything we do and to remain competitive and connected in the future we must expand broadband access today," said Gov. Schwarzenegger. "This legislation will help connect California's cities to each other and to the world by growing our digital highway."

Nearly one and a half million mostly rural Californians do not currently have access to broadband service. S.B. 1191 will help close this digital divide in rural communities by allowing community service districts to provide this additional service on top of many vital local services they already provide for including water, sewer and police protection.

The bill implements a recommendation put forth by the California Broadband Task Force in its final report in January. The task force was created by Gov. Schwarzenegger to evaluate California's broadband access and make recommendations to increase services statewide. Specifically, the Task Force's final report includes maps of current broadband availability and speed, recommendations on how to achieve universal access and increased use and a time frame to meet those goals.

Gov. Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-21-06 in October 2006 creating the Broadband Task Force to bring experts from government and business together to identify and eliminate obstacles to making broadband access universal in the state.