Establishes the "broadband deployment assistance act"

• Republican1

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Jeremy Cooney says this is needed

The rise of work-from-home, telehealth, and remote learning has made access to modern broadband Internet an absolute necessity for an indi- vidual or business to be competitive in today's economy and should be treated as a utility. Broadband infrastructure is also vital for commu- nities, facilitating greater access to emergency services, commerce, and education. Those in rural communities particularly rely on high-speed Internet to access vital services that may be too far to reach easily in-person. The State's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program proposal identified streamlining the permitting process as a critical component in the program's success. This legislation would facilitate more efficient processing of permit applications by allowing batches of up to 30 substantially similar applications to be reviewed at once. This would allow service providers to receive permits sooner, allowing more homes and businesses access to high speed internet much more quickly. The length of time it takes for a local jurisdiction to process permits for broadband projects is a significant factor in the time frame of the project as a whole. The legislation would also increase revenue to local governments via permit fees, and allow local governments to make more efficient use of their resources. This legislation will prevent vital infrastructure for our communities from being held up by red tape, facilitating more connected and productive communities.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.