Benjamin Freed

Voters in Alabama approved a new state constitution as well as 10 amendments, one of which frees up the state and local governments to use stimulus funds from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to attract internet service providers in hopes of expanding broadband service. Amendment Two was passed alongside several other amendments concerning election laws, criminal justice, and taxation. The measures were all attached to a new state constitution replacing a document written in 1901.

The Federal Communication Commission Chairwoman is aiming to publish a first-draft map of its nationwide broadband coverage map in November. First, though, comes a "challenge period," when state, local and tribal officials, as well as internet carriers, can examine and potentially correct the underlying data. For Nate Denny, Deputy Secretary of Broadband and Digital Equity at the North Carolina Department of Information Technology, this phase represents an opportunity to further hone the state's plan for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Broadband Equity, Acce

A new compilation of projects funded by the American Rescue Plan Act shows that, among cities and counties with populations over 250,000, about 12 percent of money received by local governments has gone toward funding infrastructure investments.

State IT officials are starting to see the effects of federal pandemic recovery money flowing in, and are using the funds to better equip remote workforces, improve network security and expand broadband. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that President Joe Biden signed in March 2021 included $350 billion tailored for state and local governments.

Critical to building a “Hawaii 2.0.” economy, as Gov. David Ige (D-HI) termed it in his annual State of the State address, is building out a broadband infrastructure that was not, in officials’ estimation, prepared to support the needs of widespread remote work, telehealth, and virtual learning. “A critical part of re-programming our economy is also the creation of a healthy statewide broadband network,” Gov Ige said.

A recently introduced Senate bill would create a dedicated office for rural-broadband expansion inside the Federal Communications Commission. If enacted, the legislation would order the FCC to create an Office of Rural Broadband. That new agency would coordinate with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Agriculture Department’s Rural Utilities Service and the Universal Service Administrative Company — an FCC-backed nonprofit that distributes broadband funds to underfunded areas — to maintain information on federal rural broadband programs.