FL H1221

Creates section 364.391 of Florida Statutes to authorize rural electric cooperatives to engage in broadband provision, either directly, through affiliates, or via third-party agreements, or by accepting broadband grant funding from federal or state programs.

Subjects poles owned by rural electric cooperatives engaged in broadband to Public Service Commission regulation under section 366.04(8) as if the cooperatives were public utilities.

Authorizes the Public Service Commission to access books and records of such cooperatives to the limited extent necessary to perform regulatory functions, with proprietary confidential business information retaining its exempt status.

Amends section 425.04 to add broadband provision as a power of rural electric cooperatives pursuant to section 364.391, allowing them to offer energy and nonenergy services to their membership.

Protects existing pole attachment agreements executed before July 1, 2023 from impairment by this legislation; effective date is July 1, 2023.