Tuesday, March 13, 2012

STATE SENATOR ALEX PADILLA WINS CENIC’S 2012 INNOVATIONS IN NETWORKING AWARD FOR HIS EFFORTS TO CLOSE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN CA

"March 13, 2012 -- La Mirada, CA -- State Senator Alex Padilla has been honored by the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) as recipients of the 2012 Innovations in Networking Awards for Gigabit/Broadband Applications for his efforts to close the digital divide in California.

"Senator Alex Padilla represents the 20th Senate District which includes most of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. Chair of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee and Vice Chair of the California Broadband Council, Padilla has authored several bills to promote universal broadband access in California to bridge the digital divide. The senator's legislative efforts include:

  • Senate Bill 1193 (2008), which established the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) to help fund broadband infrastructure in areas of California without high-speed Internet access; 
  • Senate Bill 1040 (2010), which expanded the CASF to add a revolving loan program for broadband infrastructure and grants for urbanand rural consortia working to develop broadband projects; 
  • Senate Bill 1462 (2010), which established the California Broadband Council to increase state agency coordination of broadband deployment and adoption; 
  • Senate Bill 493 (2011), which provided public computer centers access to surplus state computers; and 
  • Senate Bill 3 (2011), which reauthorized California's universal service programs. 
""I am honored to receive this award and be recognized by CENIC," Senator Padilla said. "California is a world leader in technology and it is critical to our economic competitiveness to ensure that every community enjoys broadband access and high speed Internet service. I will continue to work on policy initiatives that remove barriers to broadband access and move California toward a ubiquitous broadband network." Four Innovations on Networking Awards are given annually by CENIC to highlight exemplary innovations that leverage ultra high-bandwidth networking, particularly where those innovations have the potential to revolutionize the ways in which instruction and research are conducted, or where they further the deployment of broadband in underserved areas."

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