Government Technology

An infusion of federal money to expand broadband throughout the country could soon be headed to communities in need if Congress passes President Joe Biden’s $100 billion Internet plan. The question is what do states do until then? Several states have already crafted legislation to address the digital divide. For example, Kentucky's recently approved House Bill 320 will allocate $250 million toward expanding broadband throughout the state.

North Carolina’s Broadband Infrastructure Office released its Digital Inclusion Plan Template and Guide to help local governments create plans for closing the state's digital divide. The guide is a reference for municipalities to design their own plans for managing their tech and infrastructural needs and assets.

What might happen on the local level in California if its net neutrality law indeed becomes enforceable? Matt Wood, vice president of policy and general counsel for Free Press, said California’s law would “give a forum” to local complaints, which may or may not translate to violations.

Gov Asa Hutchinson (R-AR) has approved a bill that allows municipalities to go into the broadband business. The bill, which amends the Telecommunications Regulatory Reform Act of 2013, was signed on Feb 4. Under the new law, local governments "may acquire, construct, furnish, equip, own, operate, sell, convey, lease, rent, let, assign, dispose of, contract for or otherwise deal in facilities and apparatus for" broadband services.

A $1.3 million state grant is helping Longmont (CO) expand broadband service to K-12 students enrolled in the National School Lunch Program.  The project involves a partnership between NextLight, Longmont’s fiber-optic broadband system, and the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD).

In 2020, states directed millions of CARES Act funds toward broadband infrastructure. While any money for high-speed Internet is a good thing, these dollars initially came with an aggressive Dec 2020 deadline, meaning that some local stakeholders were better positioned than others to take on the timeline burden. Some PA and VA county leaders did not feel comfortable pursuing the money because of uncertainty as to whether their broadband challenges could be interpreted as COVID-related issues, as local connectivity problems existed well before the pandemic struck.