Apparently Pennsylvania Doesn't Want Broadband Stimulus Dollars

[Commentary] Legislation just introduced in Pennsylvania to outlaw basically all forms of municipal networks that compete with private providers. But the stimulus law specifically encourages the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to reward grants to everyone but private-only networks. While not shut out entirely, in order for a private-only network to get a grant they'll need a special waiver. What this all highlights is that our new Administration and this Congress want these grants to go to some flavor of municipal networks. So where does this leave Pennsylvania? On the one hand, in the legislative language is a mandate that every state get at least one grant, so even if this state ban on municipal networks were to pass Pennsylvania will likely get a grant of some kind. But at the same time, there will likely be money left over after every state gets their one grant, and at that point the money won't necessarily be divvied up evenly among all of them. Instead it should go to whatever projects are ready to move and that deliver the most public good and adhere most closely to the NTIA's requirements.