HB 21-1289: Broadband Deployment Funding

• Establishes the Colorado Broadband Office within the Office of Information Technology, with a director appointed by the Chief Information Officer to coordinate statewide broadband deployment and access strategies.

• Creates three grant programs funded with $75 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act money: Digital Inclusion Grant Program ($35 million), Broadband Stimulus Grant Program ($35 million), and Interconnectivity Grant Program ($5 million).

• Digital Inclusion Grant Program awards up to $20 million to Indian tribes or nations for broadband infrastructure on tribal lands and up to $15 million to telehealth providers during fiscal year 2020-21.

• Broadband Stimulus Grant Program allocates $35 million through the Broadband Deployment Board to applicants who previously qualified but were denied grants due to insufficient funding, with priority for critically unserved areas and requirement to provide reduced-cost broadband to income-qualified customers.

• Interconnectivity Grant Program provides $5 million to local governments for regional broadband planning and network connections between communities and community anchor institutions, with Colorado Broadband Office providing review and recommendations within 30 days of application submission.