MN HF4659

Amends broadband grant funding to require 50-70% of awards (increasing annually through 2026) go to applicants committing to workforce best practices, including prevailing wages or alternative benefits of 80+ annual training hours, health insurance, and 15% retirement contributions.

Establishes new Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program prioritizing applicants demonstrating robust training programs, directly employed workforce for broadband work, workforce best practices compliance, and local hiring pipelines for underrepresented communities.

Creates certification requirement for safety-qualified underground telecommunications installers, including 40-hour initial training course covering utility identification, directional drilling safety, and line strike response, plus 4-hour refresher every three years.

Requires safety-qualified installers for all underground broadband infrastructure work within ten feet of existing utilities, including locating utilities, monitoring directional drilling, and mandates minimum two qualified installers present during directional drilling operations.

Grants Public Utilities Commission authority to investigate and enforce actions against telecommunications carriers, telephone companies, and cable providers that damage or interfere with electric utility or cooperative electric association infrastructure.