MS HB86

Amends Mississippi Code to declare state policy supporting expansion of fiber-optic infrastructure and enhanced grid investments to foster reliable utility service and customer access to enhanced services.

Permits rate-regulated electric utilities to grant broadband service providers permission to use their electric delivery systems (poles, lines, fiber, cables, equipment) to provide broadband services.

Prohibits utilities from requiring customers to purchase broadband services as a condition of receiving electric service or from disconnecting electric service for failure to pay broadband charges.

Allows retail customers with nonaggregated loads greater than 20 megawatts to construct and maintain fiber-optic infrastructure on public utility right-of-way without requiring additional consent from property owners previously compensated for right-of-way use.

Establishes that landowners' remedies for property damage from broadband system use are limited to circuit court petitions for damages calculated by before-and-after property value appraisals, with damages recoverable only from broadband operators or customers, not utilities.