Telecom Bill Puts Funding From Land Lines To Broadband

DENVER (CBS4)- A package of bills that would overhaul Colorado's old telecom laws are a step closer to becoming law.

A Senate committee passed the bills that would deregulate all telephone services and move funding used for the maintenance of land lines to expand broadband in rural areas.

The bills have wide bi-partisan support but people who are deaf oppose the bills. They say they depend on land lines to hear reverse 911 calls and they're worried the lines will disappear under the legislation.

"Very scary for me. I can't hear my cell phone at night, I barely hear it during the day. I wouldn't know if a fire was coming unless I got that reverse 911 call," said Patricia Yaeger with the Independence Center.

"I know a there has been a lot of discussion about the possibility of land lines being taken away. Not true, that will not happen. I have a land line and I could not support legislation that would take my land line away from me," said Sen. Lois Tochtrap, a Democrat representing Adams County.

The bills have already passed out of the House and are expected to pass the Senate as well.