Helping ensure those affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency can effectively practice social distancing, the full Assembly passed a bipartisan measure 63-0 on Monday.
The joint resolution (AJR-158), sponsored by Assembly members Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer, Middlesex), Christopher DePhillips (R-Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic) and Raj Mukherji (D-Hudson), calls upon the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take temporary measures to secure broadband access.
The bill’s sponsors released the following joint statement:
“As the number of school and business closures increase in order to have their students or employees work from home to mitigate COVID-19, the need for a fast and reliable internet connection has grown significantly. For those in self-quarantine, internet access is also vital to remain in communication with doctors via telemedicine services. And so, FCC action to alleviate accessibility issues, especially for residents living in rural and low-income areas with limited connectivity, is of utmost importance.”