Setting up a special panel to oversee broadband improvements in West Virginia is proving to be as slow as the state's Internet speeds.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has yet to appoint a single member to the Broadband Enhancement Council - six months after a new law that established the council took effect.
The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce has urged Tomblin's office to get the council up and running.
The Chamber recently released a policy paper, asking Tomblin to appoint members to the council and have the panel report back to the governor and Legislature with suggestions on improving and expanding high-speed Internet across the state.
"It's such a critical issue for West Virginia," said Parween Mascari, a lawyer who works for the West Virginia Chamber. "Just like water, sewer, electric and highways, broadband is crucial. It's something businesses need to operate."
In March, state lawmakers passed a bill (SB488) to establish the Broadband Enhancement Council, a replacement for the former Broadband Deployment Council, which folded in December 2014. Tomblin signed the bill into law, and it took effect June 11.
The old board was made up of members who represented Internet providers, such as Frontier Communications, Suddenlink and Citynet. The new council will consist mostly of members who represent consumers and businesses that subscribe to Internet services.
The council will have 13 members, six of whom must represent residents and businesses in rural communities. Two members will represent urban areas, and a single member must represent "users of large amounts of broadband services."
Other seats will be assigned to the state commerce secretary, state schools superintendent, vice chancellor of higher education and chief technology officer.
"This is going to be a more consumer-driven effort," said Mascari. "You have to get people who are motivated, almost by any means necessary, to get broadband for the state."
The council's strict makeup has made it difficult to fill the slots, said Tomblin spokesman Chris Stadelman. State law requires members from each congressional district. Board members aren't paid for their time.
"Our office has received some recommendations for council membership..." Stadelman said. "Gov. Tomblin understands broadband access is important to West Virginia residents and businesses, and the state gets frequent updates about private investment in new and expanded service."
West Virginia's Internet speeds available to homes and businesses are among the slowest in the nation.
According to recent federal reports, West Virginia ranks 50th for the percentage of people who have access Internet speeds greater than 3 megabits per second.
Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission re-defined "broadband," saying the service should have a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps.
West Virginians also have fewer Internet providers to choose from compared to most states. Thirty-two percent of West Virginia residents live where there's only one Internet provider - typically Frontier - or no companies that sell broadband service, according to the FCC.
At the outset, the new broadband council is expected to gather data about residential and business customers' Internet speeds and compare speeds to those advertised by broadband providers, according to the bill.
The new council also will be asked to examine existing broadband networks in West Virginia.
"We thought it would be a good thing to have someone looking at these issues and pushing this forward," Mascari said. "Now, the next logical step is for the council to be appointed, to meet and to present findings to the Legislature."
The Chamber's report also suggests that the state develop a comprehensive broadband expansion plan, and that state law classify broadband as "infrastructure," so Internet expansion projects would get the same attention as water and sewer projects.
State lawmakers plan to host a public forum today to hear how limited broadband service and availability has hindered economic development in West Virginia.
The forum will start at 1 p.m. in the House Government Organization Committee room at the state Capitol.
Representatives from several companies and organizations plan to speak.
"Broadband service is today what the interstate highway system was in the 1950s," said Delegate Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay. "It's how we do commerce, and as a state, we are falling behind."
Hanshaw, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said at least six bills already have been developed to target the problem. Lawmakers plan to introduce the bills during the upcoming legislative session, which starts next month.
Reach Eric Eyre at ericeyre@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4869 or follow @ericeyre on Twitter.