West Virginia's 2022 broadband bill includes more consumer protections, accountability for broadband providers

The West Virginia Legislature finished work on a bill that lawmakers said is one more significant step toward ensuring West Virginians have reliable internet access. House Bill 4001 establishes means for the state to map out certain infrastructure resources, sets parameters on broadband providers' use of federal money, and providers consumer protections for West Virginia broadband customers. The goal of the bill is to better understand where broadband lines can be installed and prepare the state government to receive and properly disburse federal money to support the Mountain State's broadband infrastructure. The bill will provide consumer protections that were diluted by the state Senate in the 2021 broadband bill. Chief among the protections is that broadband companies will be required to give customers at least a partial credit or refund for their monthly bills if their internet is out for more than 24 hours and it isn't caused by a power outage or anything the customer did. The bill will require broadband companies to provide 30 days' notice if they plan to change rates or levy new charges against customers, including the expiration of a promotion or special pricing a customer has with the company.