Illinois Gov. George H. Ryan has signed into law House Bill 2900, the re-write of the Telecommunications Article of the Public Utilities Act
Components of the legislation include $30 million in funds to eliminate the Digital Divide.

The legislation establishes the Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure Fund and Advisory Committee. The bill requires deployment of advanced services such as high speed Internet by carriers to 80 percent of customers by 2005, except in rural areas. It also authorizes the commission to use moneys in the fund towards grants for constructing high-speed data transmission facilities in areas where local carriers have not established facilities.

"It is in our best interests as a state to make sure the ground rules for the telecommunications industry are fair, flexible and designed to keep all of Illinois moving forward," Gov. Ryan said.

Other grants will be issued by the committee to fund community technology centers. The governor has announced the first "Eliminate the Digital Divide" grants totaling $1 million to help plan, establish, administer and expand 24 community technology centers (CTCs) to serve residents in many low-income communities in Illinois.

Members of the Digital Divide Elimination Advisory Committee will be appointed by the governor and legislative leaders. Twenty percent of certain fines under the Public Utilities Act will be placed in the fund and used in the CTC grants.