IN HB1065

Establishes a new broadband grant program under IC 4-4-38, effective July 1, 2018, allowing the Office of Community and Rural Affairs to award grants from the rural economic development fund to qualified broadband providers for deploying broadband infrastructure in unserved areas.

Defines "qualified broadband service" as Internet connections providing at least 10 megabits per second downstream and 1 megabit per second upstream, and "unserved areas" as geographic areas lacking at least one terrestrial broadband provider offering such speeds, identified at the census block level.

Requires qualified broadband providers to demonstrate financial, technical, and operational capability and commit to funding at least 20% of project costs; prioritizes grants for areas with no Internet access or speeds below 10 megabits per second.

Mandates the office publish all grant applications online for 30-day public comment periods, condition grant fund releases on quarterly project progress reporting, and provide annual reports to the General Assembly on grant recipients, funded projects, and broadband deployment progress.

Repeals the Indiana Broadband Development Program (IC 8-1-33) and related sections; includes a study requirement for the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission on universal service fund reform and broadband deployment, with findings due by October 1, 2018.