Newsom Issues Executive Order on Digital Divide

Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-73-20 addressing a series of digital device and internet access issues statewide amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As Governor Newsom detailed in a press conference, over 90 percent of California school students are beginning the school year via distance learning. Today’s executive order directs state agencies to pursue a goal of 100 Mbps download speed and outlines actions across state agencies and departments to accelerate mapping and data collection, funding, deployment, and adoption of high-speed internet.

The Newsom Administration framed the executive order as building upon the state’s work in responding to educational impacts of COVID-19 by delivering nearly 200,000 computing devices and internet hotspots to hundreds of school districts statewide, with a priority on rural communities. The full announcement, including information on school funding, from the Governor’s Office is available here.