HB 1579 2025
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hb1579-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to farming community high-speed 2
broadband development incentives; creating s. 3
288.9964, F.S.; providing a short title; providing 4
legislative findings; providing definitions; creating 5
a state-funded grant program within the Florida Office 6
of Broadband to fund broadband infrastructure projects 7
in underserved farming communities; providing 8
eligibility criteria; specifying limits on annual 9
funding; requiring funding recipients to providing 10
annual progress reports containing specified 11
information; requiring the office to conduct 12
performance audits; authorizing farmers in underserved 13
farming communities to receive specified tax credits 14
if certain conditions are met; specifying projects 15
eligible for tax credits; requiring the office to 16
conduct specified public awareness campaigns and 17
provide technical training programs; providing an 18
expiration date; providing an effective date. 19
20
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 21
22
Section 1. Section 288.9964, Florida Statutes, is created 23
to read: 24
288.9964 Internet connectivity in underserved farming 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
communities.— 26
(1) This section may be cited as the "Farming Community 27
Connectivity Innovation Act." 28
(2) The Legislature finds that: 29
(a) Access to high-speed broadband Internet service is 30
essential for agricultural operations as well as rural economic 31
development. 32
(b) Underserved farming communities face significant 33
challenges due to li mited access to broadband Internet service. 34
(c) Public-private partnerships and targeted incentives 35
can drive innovation and improve connectivity in rural areas. 36
(3) For purposes of this section, the term: 37
(a) "Broadband-enabled technologies" means digital tools 38
and systems used in agriculture, including precision farming, 39
smart irrigation, and automated machinery. 40
(b) "Broadband infrastructure project" means a project 41
that builds or upgrades the necessary physical network 42
infrastructure to deliv er broadband services in a defined area. 43
(c) "Eligible applicant" means a public -private 44
partnership, local government, or a cooperative organization 45
that proposes a broadband infrastructure project, which may 46
include broadband-enabled technologies. 47
(d) "Underserved farming community" means a farming area 48
with limited or no access to high -speed broadband Internet 49
services. 50
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(4)(a) There is created within the Florida Office of 51
Broadband, a state-funded grant program. The purpose of the 52
grant program is to fund broadband infrastructure projects in 53
underserved farming communities. 54
1. To be eligible to receive grant funds, an eligible 55
applicant must demonstrate a commitment to serving underserved 56
farming communities and must outline a plan for maintaining 57
existing infrastructure. 58
2. The office must give funding priority to public -private 59
partnerships and cooperative organizations. 60
3. Total funding for the grant program may not exceed $50 61
million annually. 62
(b) Recipients under the state -funded grant program must 63
submit annual progress reports detailing project milestones, 64
expenditures, and broadband access improvements. 65
(c) The office must conduct performance audits to ensure 66
funds are used effectively and equitably. 67
(5)(a) A farmer in an underserved farming community who 68
purchases, installs, or maintains broadband -enabled technologies 69
may receive state tax credits of up to $10,000 annually. 70
(b) Eligible expenses include the purchase, installation, 71
and maintenance of agricultural equipment that incorporate 72
broadband-enabled technologies. 73
(6) The office must: 74
(a) Conduct public awareness campaigns to inform rural 75
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
communities about grant opportunities and inform farmers in 76
underserved farming communities about the tax credits. 77
(b) Provide technical training programs to help farmers 78
adopt and use broadband -enabled technologies. 79
(7) This section shall remain in effect until December 31, 80
2030, unless extended or amended by the Legislature. 81
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 82