MS HB662

Requires the director of the Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi (BEAM) to appoint a county administrator, county manager, or designee to establish and facilitate local technology planning teams or partnerships with cross-sector community representatives.

Local technology planning teams shall work with rural communities to assess broadband availability, identify unserved and underserved areas, identify relevant assets for deployment, build partnerships with broadband service providers, and reduce barriers to broadband deployment.

Requires planning teams to be proactive in fiscally constrained counties by identifying and assisting with federal grant applications for broadband internet service.

Brings forward Section 77-19-5 establishing BEAM within the Department of Finance and Administration and requiring the Executive Director to hire a Director of BEAM to administer the office.

Effective date: July 1, 2024.