2023 Broadband Legislation

I guess it’s inevitable that a $42.5 billion grant program would attract a lot of legislative action trying to set some parameters on how to spend the money. Recent hearings conducted by the House Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology looked at issues that would expedite the deployment of broadband infrastructure. The subcommittee is considering 32 bills related to broadband infrastructure, many of the bills still in draft form. Following are just a few bills that show the breadth of House legislation being considered:

• Broadband Expansion and Deployment Fee Equity and Efficiency or “BEAD FEES” Act: This draft bill from Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) would require states that accept federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) money to ensure that application fees charged by state and local governments are transparent, competitively neutral, and cost-based;
• Reducing Barriers for Broadband on Federal Lands Act: Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-ID) is drafting a bill that would eliminate the need for environmental or historic preservation reviews for deploying broadband projects on previously disturbed federal lands;
• Timely Replacement Under Secure and Trusted for Early and Dependable Broadband Networks or “TRUSTED Broadband Networks” Act: Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) would eliminate the requirement for an environmental or historic preservation review before removing and replacing network equipment that affects national security;
• Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act: Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) wants the National Telecommunications and Jobs Act (NTIA) to update Congress on whether the Departments of Interior and Agriculture have created an online portal for tracking applications to deploy communications infrastructure on federal property;
• The Broadband Incentives for Communities Act (H.R. 1241): Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) would require the NTIA to establish a grant program to assist local governments and Indian tribes with the efficient review of zoning or permitting applications for broadband infrastructure.