CO HB1174

Amends Colorado law to allow rural counties with fewer than 60,000 inhabitants to establish local improvement districts (LIDs) to fund broadband construction in unserved areas.

Rural counties may contract with telecommunications or advanced service providers to construct broadband improvements through LIDs, following existing procedures for public utility improvements.

Districts and counties cannot directly provide broadband services, own, operate, or maintain broadband improvements; those responsibilities remain with the contracted service provider.

Defines "advanced service" as broadband service per Section 40-15-102 (3.3) and "unserved area" per Section 40-15-102 (32)(a).

Takes effect August 9, 2017 (unless subject to referendum petition requiring approval in November 2018), and applies only to LIDs formed after the effective date.