6.1.A. ERMUSR 04-12-2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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7‘e eajzzeoe zerteet Af\k- NNVIA • Vol. 15, No. 2 March 25, 2016 Broadband Funding and Statewide Goals Bills Move Forward On Monday,the Senate Jobs,Agriculture, and Rural Development Committee heard two bills authored by Sen. Matt Schmit (DFL-Red Wing), dealing with rural broadband development. SF 2447 provides a $100 million appropriation to the Border-to-Border Broadband Program. SF 2448 would update Minnesota's broadband goals to state that by 2022, all homes and businesses in the state should have access to broadband at speeds of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps download. By 2026, all Minnesota homes and businesses should have access to broadband speeds of 100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up. The definition of "unserved" in the Minnesota's broadband statute is tied to the FCC definition, which is 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up, and is not changed by this bill. However, the bill changes the definition of"underserved"to homes or businesses lacking access to 100 mbps down and 20 Mbps up. The issue of the definition of "underserved" was the biggest point of contention with the Minnesota Telecom Alliance and Minnesota Cable Communications Association, saying that grants should be focused on areas that are actually underserved at levels below 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload. Committee members suggested that Sen. Schmit continue to work with the providers on this issue, and he agreed to do so. SF 2447 was re-referred to the Senate Finance Committee. SF 2448 was passed to the Senate floor. In the House, HF 2381 would make the same changes as the two Senate bills combined and was heard in the House Jobs Growth and Energy Affordability Committee on Wednesday. In the House committee, however, a controversial change in the definition of"underserved" did pass as an amendment by bill author Rep. Dave Baker (R-Willmar). The House bill now defines "underserved" as below 10 Mbps up and 1 Mbps down. In testimony, the chair of the Governor's Broadband Task Force opposed the change calling it "a huge step backward." The House committee did not vote on HF 2381 but held the bill over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill to pass later. 223