Apalachicola is a small Coastal Community on the Gulf of Mexico in Florida s Panhandle
North Florida is often an afterthought when people think about Florida as a whole. The same sometimes happens during session when money is doled out for member projects. Part of this is due to representation there are more people in South and Central Florida and that rewards those regions with more representatives. This session however the Appropriations Chair is Panama City Republican Representative Jay Trumbull. I spoke with him and another North Florida representative about how they worked to make sure the panhandle got a slice of the pie.
A school bus outfitted with a mobile hotspot unit
Florida lawmakers are continuing a years-long effort to improve internet access in rural areas. The issue again caught lawmakers attention last year when schools and businesses were shuttered, forcing people inside and online. The problem: tens of thousands had no or very little access to broadband services needed for them to go to school, apply for unemployment benefits or see their doctors through telehealth.
The federal government has noted the internet is no longer a luxury, it’s an essential service just like basic utilities. According to a legislative bill analysis, only 78.6% of rural areas of the state have access to broadband services, compared to 98% coverage in urban areas. And the quality of that access differs substantially as well..