Closing the Digital Divide for Students Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-2372
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
Introduced: 2015-05-15
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Pornography

Poverty and welfare assistance

Public housing

Public utilities and utility rates
Latest action: action_date: 2015-05-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-05-15
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>Closing the Digital Divide for Students Act of 2015</strong></p> <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal">Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require high-speed Internet service costs to be included in public housing utility allowances for households with children who qualify for free and reduced price school lunches. </p> <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal">Prohibits a dwelling unit's Internet cost allowance from: (1) exceeding the lowest cost available in the area, and (2) including costs for cable or satellite television or for joint packages for Internet service together with cable or satellite television. </p> <p>Conditions Internet cost allowances on the service including technology to block visual depictions that are obscene or harmful to minors. </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2372 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 15, 2015 Mr. Foster introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To include reasonable costs for high-speed Internet service in the utility allowances for families residing in public housing, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Closing the Digital Divide for Students Act of 2015 . 2. Inclusion of high-speed Internet service in public housing utility allowances for certain families Subsection (b) of section 3 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b) ) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (14) Utility allowance A utility allowance under this Act for public housing shall include costs for high-speed Internet service, subject to the following limitations: (A) Cost The cost included in a utility allowance for a public housing dwelling unit pursuant to this paragraph shall not— (i) exceed the lowest cost available in the area of such housing for such high-speed Internet service; and (ii) include any costs for cable or satellite television service or for joint packages for Internet service together with cable or satellite television service. (B) Qualified families Costs for high-speed Internet service may be included in a utility allowance only for a household that incurs such costs and includes children who qualify for free and reduced price lunch pursuant to section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1758 ). (C) Protection of minors Costs for high-speed Internet service may be included in a utility allowance for a household only if the Internet service provider, upon initial provision of such service for a household, provides the household with a specific technology capable of blocking or filtering Internet access to visual depictions described in section 254(h)(5)(B)(i) of the Communications Act of 1937 ( 47 U.S.C. 254(h)(5)(B)(i) ) that provides a level of protection against access by minors to such depictions through the Internet that is at least as great as the level of protection provided by a technology protection measure (as such term is defined in paragraph (7) of such section 254(h)) that meets the requirements for certification under such paragraph, as determined by the Secretary. .