SB 716

Abstract

Department of Housing and Community Development; broadband affordability plan. Directs the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a plan, to be known as the Commonwealth Digital Affordability and Cost Effectiveness Plan, to access federal funding under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The bill requires that the Plan include (i) an overview of options for affordable broadband connectivity in the Commonwealth; (ii) recommendations on how best to leverage federal grants addressing broadband affordability; (iii) best practices for establishing a broadband affordability program, taking into account existing federal funds and programs; and (iv) recommendations for public outreach, with consideration of the report submitted by the Department of Social Services as required in Item 359 L of Chapter 552 of the Acts of Assembly of 2021, Special Session I. The bill requires the Department to report the Plan to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2022. This bill is identical to HB 1265.

Department of Housing and Community Development; broadband affordability plan. Directs the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a plan, to be known as the Commonwealth Digital Affordability and Cost Effectiveness Plan, to access federal funding under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The bill requires that the Plan include (i) an overview of options for affordable broadband connectivity in the Commonwealth; (ii) recommendations on how best to leverage federal grants addressing broadband affordability; (iii) best practices for establishing a broadband affordability program, taking into account existing federal funds and programs; and (iv) recommendations for public outreach, with consideration of the report submitted by the Department of Social Services as required in Item 359 L of Chapter 552 of the Acts of Assembly of 2021, Special Session I. The bill requires the Department to report the Plan to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2022.

Department of Housing and Community Development;broadband affordability plan. Directs the Department of Housingand Community Development to develop the Commonwealth Digital Affordabilityand Cost-Effectiveness to address broadband affordability and equity.The bill requires that the Plan include (i) an overview of wherein the Commonwealth broadband and other digital connectivity is unaffordable;(ii) recommendations on how best to leverage federal grants addressingbroadband affordability to best execute the Plan; (iii) best practicesfor establishing a grant program or its equivalent to address digital affordability, taking into account existing federal funds and programs;(iv) a strategy to expand the affordability of broadband by retrofittingall affordable housing projects with broadband installations andother necessary infrastructure improvements; and (v) recommendations,including recommendations for a public outreach plan, on how to takeadvantage of the $14 billion Affordability Connectivity Program ofthe federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support a permanent$30-a-month broadband subsidy for low-income households, NationalTelecommunications and Information Administration programs, and theU.S. Department of Agriculture Reconnect program. The bill requiresthe Department to report the Plan to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2022.