HB 1522

Bill Subjects

Census Economic Development Generally Telecommunications, Telephone, Television, Radio, And Internet

Abstract

Requires the office of technology (office) to produce a map illustrating the Indiana census blocks in which broadband service, defined relative to the broadband speed benchmark set forth by the Federal Communications Commission, is available to property owners within the census block. Requires the office to consider broadband service to not be available to property owners within a census block if eligible broadband service is available for purchase at less than 80% of the residential and commercial addresses within the census block. Provides that the office shall provide information collected for purposes of the map to the office of community and rural affairs for purposes of the rural broadband grant program. Provides for the confidentiality of information collected by the office from private entities for purposes of the map. Provides that a communications service provider that does not provide information regarding the communications service provider's broadband service within a census block for purposes of the map may not challenge: (1) the office's determination regarding whether broadband service is available within the census block; or (2) an application for a rural broadband grant for an eligible broadband project in an area containing the census block.