Innovation

Communications and Technology Task Force: Policy Prescriptions to Address Economic and Health Care Challenges in the Face of COVID-19

Social distancing has Americans communicating and collaborating through increasingly different avenues of technology every day. Adapting to the increasing use of technology is pivotal during this pandemic. The Communications and Technology Task Force present policy prescriptions to address this pandemic below.

Independent Contractor Definition Act

A policy CAT and CIED share. During this emergency, people may be looking for opportunities to participate in the gig economy, through apps like Doordash, TaskRabbit, and so on. The Independent Contractor Definition Act is, for now, the perfect pushback to proposals like California’s AB5 and preserves the right of people to work as they see fit.

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Telecommunications Deregulation Policy Statement and related Six Principles for Communications and Technology

Advances in internet technology guarantee that people can work from home during the crisis, ensuring that they are both productive and do not lose wages. Additionally, the government and private sectors are working together to ensure uninterrupted broadband services. For example, the FCC already announced an agreement with providers not to disconnect people who cannot pay due to income loss during the emergency.

Six Principles for Communications and Technology

These principles state that the best way to promote growth and innovation is through removing outdated regulations and other barriers to entry and reminding governments that constitutional limits and protections apply at all levels.

Policy prescriptions developed by our members can be found in ALEC Connect.


In Depth: Innovation

Whether improving processes, creating products or developing new ideas, the application of technology can enable real changes in how state government works, both in quality of services delivered to constituents, cost savings and quality of life. States have the opportunity in our national balance of government power, to address policy…

+ Innovation In Depth