STATEHOUSE (June 17, 2010) - State Sen. Brandt Hershman (R-Lafayette) was honored as the first recipient of the Indiana Telecommunication Association’s (ITA) inaugural “Legislator of the Year” award this week for his ongoing efforts to modernize Indiana’s communications infrastructure.

Founded in 1919, the ITA is a non-profit trade association representing Indiana’s telecommunications industry. The group honored Hershman for his efforts in passing legislation leading to new investments, jobs, consumer choices, improvements to the 911 system and cost savings for Hoosiers. 

“I am humbled to receive this award,” Hershman said. “A modern telecommunications network is vital to economic development, job creation and public safety. In four years we’ve gone from the back of the pack to leading the Nation in our telecommunications laws, and billions of dollars of investment and thousands of new jobs have resulted.”

Since the passage of Indiana’s Telecom and Video Reform Act in 2006, more than 100 previously underserved rural communities gained access to high-speed Internet access. According to findings by Ball State University’s Digital Policy Institute, telecom reform has lead to the creation of 2,200 jobs and more than $1.5 billion in investments across the state.

“Through the reform of our telecommunications laws, many companies have been given a strong incentive to invest in Indiana, create jobs and provide Hoosiers with access to the latest technology,” Hershman said. “This has also resulted in more opportunities for high-speed connectivity and options when choosing a communications provider.”

To help even more consumers in rural areas obtain high-speed connectivity in the future, Hershman authored a law last year requiring the Indiana Economic Development Corp. to identify gaps in Internet services statewide. Hershman said the initiative is funded through a federal grant and is an extension of the telecom reform law.

“With this new study, we will be able to find underserved communities and then encourage the development of high-speed Internet service in that area,” Hershman said. “We need to continue to foster new investments, jobs and more Internet and video choices for Hoosiers.”

Hershman also crafted a 2008 law consolidating 911 dispatch centers statewide to a maximum of two per county by the end of 2014. This reform aims to increase government efficiency, save tax dollars and help emergency services agencies free up funds to invest in the latest technology.

Additional 911 network enhancements will be further supported by a small fee on prepaid wireless telephone services beginning July 1, 2010.  Hershman said 911 systems throughout the country are funded by land-based and cellular-subscriber telephone usage fees, yet people purchasing prepaid phones and phone cards were not contributing.  He said the 25 cents collected by retailers in Indiana from prepaid phone and phone card transactions will not only be more fair for all consumers, it will help communities throughout the state continue providing necessary public safety services as more people shift from using land-based telephone lines to mobile telephones.

“I am heartened by the advances we’ve made in recent years and remain determined to build on that success so that Indiana may continue to grow as a technology leader,” Hershman said.

Hershman represents Senate District 7, which includes Carroll, Clinton, Howard, Jasper, Tippecanoe and White counties.