Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H92 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 846 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 92
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Frank A. Moran
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act creating the Massachusetts digital equity broadband adoption program.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Frank A. Moran17th Essex1/13/2025 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 846 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 92
18	18	By Representative Moran of Lawrence, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 92) of Frank
19	19	A. Moran relative to establishing within the Executive Office of Housing and Economic
20	20	Development a digital equity broadband adoption program. Advanced Information Technology,
21	21	the Internet and Cybersecurity.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act creating the Massachusetts digital equity broadband adoption program.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 23A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official
31	31	2Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 68 the following new section:-
32	32	3 Section 69. (a) There shall established within the executive office of housing and
33	33	4economic development a Massachusetts Digital Equity Broadband Adoption Program. The
34	34	5purpose of the program shall be to expand the availability of broadband internet connectivity
35	35	6throughout the commonwealth by providing financial assistance to eligible residents who cannot
36	36	7afford any available service.
37	37	8 (b) For the purposes of this section the following words shall have the following
38	38	9meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
39	39	10 “Broadband service”, shall have the same meaning as defined in 7 C.F.R. § 1738.2.
40	40	11 “Provider”, a provider of broadband service in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2 of 4
41	41	12 (c) The office shall enter into an agreement with each provider under which the provider
42	42	13agrees to accept vouchers distributed by the office under this section as a form of payment for
43	43	14the provider’s broadband internet service.
44	44	15 (d) In coordination with the department of elementary and secondary education, the
45	45	16office shall send information regarding the availability of financial assistance under this chapter
46	46	17to each family with students enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The information
47	47	18must include: (1) the name and contact information of each registered provider whose broadband
48	48	19Internet service is available in their school district; and (2) instructions for applying to the office
49	49	20for financial assistance under this section.
50	50	21 (e) An individual who receives information under subsection (d) may apply for financial
51	51	22assistance under this section in the manner specified by the office. Upon receipt of an
52	52	23application, the office shall determine: (1) the applicant's eligibility for financial assistance; (2)
53	53	24the amount of financial assistance for which the applicant is eligible; and (3) whether the
54	54	25applicant is eligible for a single payment or a recurring payment of financial assistance; based on
55	55	26the office's assessment of the applicant's need. (d) An applicant for financial assistance under this
56	56	27chapter: (1) who is receiving, or whose household includes an individual who is receiving,
57	57	28benefits under: (A) the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; (B) the
58	58	29federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); or (C) the Medicaid program; or (2)
59	59	30whose household includes a child who is eligible for free or reduced price lunch; is automatically
60	60	31eligible for financial assistance under this chapter.
61	61	32 (f) If the office determines that an individual is eligible for financial assistance under
62	62	33subsection (e), the office shall provide financial assistance to the individual in the form of 1 or 3 of 4
63	63	34more vouchers, each in the amount of fifty dollars ($50), that can be used by the individual to
64	64	35pay 1 or more of the following expenses: (i) Fees charged by a broadband provider for
65	65	36installation, activation, equipment purchase, WiFi extenders or other 1 time expenses of
66	66	37providing broadband Internet service to the individual; or (ii) monthly subscription fees charged
67	67	38by a broadband Internet provider for the provision of broadband Internet service to the
68	68	39individual, including modem and router charges. A voucher may be provided by the office in
69	69	40printed or electronic form.
70	70	41 (f) A registered broadband provider that receives a voucher under this section from an
71	71	42individual who subscribes to the provider's broadband Internet service shall deduct the amount of
72	72	43the voucher from the amount owed by the subscriber for the provider's provision of broadband
73	73	44Internet service to the individual.
74	74	45 SECTION 2. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
75	75	46section, the following new section:-
76	76	47 Section 2GGGGG. There shall be established a Broadband Adoption Digital Equity Fund
77	77	48to support the implementation of the Massachusetts Digital Equity Broadband Adoption Program
78	78	49established in section 69 of chapter 23A , and to provide residential internet service and related
79	79	50equipment and multilingual digital learning services to individuals through low-cost programs
80	80	51from both private broadband providers and federal assistance programs. The fund shall be
81	81	52administered by the secretary of housing and economic development. There shall be credited to
82	82	53the fund any revenue from appropriations or other money authorized by the general court and
83	83	54specifically designated to be credited to the fund and any gifts, grants, private contributions or
84	84	55investment income earned on the fund's assets and all other sources; provided, that not less than 4 of 4
85	85	5650 percent of the funds shall be derived from an assessment on providers of broadband services,
86	86	57as defined in section 69 of chapter 23A of the General Laws . Money deposited in the fund that is
87	87	58unexpended at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be
88	88	59available for expenditure in the subsequent fiscal year and shall not be subject to section 5C.