State of the States 2020: Broadband Is Critical Infrastructure

For the past several years, the Government Technology editorial team has picked apart State of the State addresses, looking for clues about new initiatives and areas of focus that will touch technology. As of Feb 3, 2020, about two-thirds of governors have delivered these speeches. Increasingly, governors are using their platforms to underscore the importance of making sure all residents, regardless of where they live, have options to get online. Internet access has profound impacts on opportunities in education, jobs, health care and nearly every other facet of modern life. The language used to describe getting connected has been slowly shifting: In 2020, broadband is now viewed as critical infrastructure, governors are prioritizing it as such, and it’s not a partisan issue.

Gov Tate Reeves (R-MS), delivering his first address following his election Nov 2019, identified broadband access as a priority, while many others outlined specific budget requests for broadband: Gov Janet Mills (D-ME) asked for $15 million, Gov Kristi Noem (R-SD) spoke of a recently secured $25 million investment, and Gov Ralph Northam (D-VA) asked lawmakers for $35 million for broadband. “Broadband has become an economic necessity for business, for education, for health care, and for everyday life,” Gov Northam said.

Gov Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) put broadband in the win column for his administration, citing its availability statewide thanks to past investments. But Gov Cuomo’s claim is somewhat controversial, as many states have noted the tendency of Federal Communications Commission broadband coverage maps to overstate the reality of Internet access. Complicating this further is the fact that just because service is available doesn’t mean it’s affordable and that residents are satisfied with their options. Clearly, this is an issue that will continue to require further study and substantial investment nationwide.