MS HB1788

Directs the State Fiscal Officer to transfer $50,000,000 from the Budget Contingency Fund to the Mississippi Pandemic Response Broadband Availability Grant Program Fund.

Establishes the Mississippi Pandemic Response Broadband Availability Grant Program administered by the Mississippi Department of Education to provide grants to public school districts, independent schools, and Native American tribal schools for expanding broadband access in unserved areas.

Requires grant distributions to be made without application based on Federal Communications Commission broadband data and the extent to which schools serve students in unserved areas; grants must be spent by December 1, 2020, or later per U.S. Department of Treasury guidelines.

Permits schools to use grant funds to contract with broadband providers to increase or gain broadband access using any available broadband technology; grants are subject to audit and noncompliant recipients must repay grant monies.

Directs any undistributed funds remaining as of December 1, 2020, to be transferred to the Unemployment Compensation Fund.