HB 20B-1001 Summary

• Creates the Connecting Colorado Students Grant Program to award grants to local education providers for expanding broadband access to students, educators, and staff lacking stable internet for online learning.

• Appropriates $20 million for the 2020-21 fiscal year to fund grants, with the program and fund automatically repealing on February 1, 2022.

• Grant funds may be used for broadband service subscriptions, internet-access devices, data plans, Wi-Fi infrastructure, mobile hotspots, satellite connections, and addressing broadband infrastructure gaps in underserved communities.

• Requires local education providers to submit detailed applications describing internet access needs, proposed solutions, partnerships with broadband providers, timeline for implementation, and bandwidth speeds to be achieved.

• Prioritizes grants for districts serving high percentages of low-income students (eligible for free/reduced meals) and areas with limited or no broadband service access based on U.S. Census data.