HB2695--BROADBANDINFRASTRUCTURE
SPONSOR: Houx
Thisbillspecifiesthatnofederalfundsreceivedbythestateor
apoliticalsubdivisionmaybeexpendedfortheconstructionof
broadbandinternetinfrastructure unlesstheprojecttobe
constructedislocatedinan"unservedarea"or"underservedarea"
andtheprojectwillprovidebroadbandinternetserviceto
customersatspecifiedspeeds.
TheOfficeofBroadbandDevelopmentmustcertifytheprojectprior
toapoliticalsubdivisionreceivingauthorization. Priorto
certifyingaproject,theOfficeofBroadbandDevelopmentmust
notifyeachinternetserviceproviderintheareaoftheproject
andsuchinternetserviceprovidermaysubmitachallengetothe
proposal.
Abroadbandinternetserviceprovidermaysubmitawritten
challengetotheapplicationwithin45daysandthechallengemust
containthespecifiedinformation. TheDepartmentofEconomic
Developmentmustevaluateeachchallengeandifthechallengeis
determinedtobevalid,theprojectmustnotbeconsideredtobein
an"unservedarea"or"underservedarea"andtheexpenditurebythe
politicalsubdivisionistobeprohibited.
ThisbillissimilartoSB1074(2022).