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FL H1543
Bill
Status
Introduced
1/10/2022
Primary Sponsor
Commerce Committee
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AI Summary
- Creates s. 288.9964, F.S., authorizing persons eligible for broadband grants under s. 288.9962 to apply to the Florida Office of Broadband for reimbursement of pole replacement costs incurred to deploy broadband Internet service in unserved areas, subject to fund availability
- Defines "pole replacement costs" as actual costs to remove and dispose of existing poles owned by electric utilities, communications providers, cable operators, or local exchange carriers; purchase and install replacement poles; and transfer previously attached facilities to the new poles
- Limits reimbursement eligibility to areas where no federal or state funds have already been awarded to a broadband provider for infrastructure deployment, and where the applicant has not applied for other federal or state funding for the same area
- Requires the Florida Office of Broadband to publish annually on its website and report to the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker a list of all reimbursement applications received, amounts requested, amounts awarded, and the number of end-use locations gaining broadband access through supported pole replacements, beginning January 1, 2023
- Directs the Department of Economic Opportunity to adopt implementing rules, which may include maximum annual reimbursement amounts per applicant and per eligible pole replacement; effective date is July 1, 2022
Legislative Description
Broadband Infrastructure
Last Action
Died on Second Reading Calendar
3/14/2022
Committee Referrals
Commerce Committee2/16/2022
Infrastructure and Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee2/3/2022
Tourism, Infrastructure and Energy Subcommittee1/16/2022
Full Bill Text
No bill text available