House Bill 1122 Summary

• Establishes a one-year Homework Gap Grants pilot program providing $5,000,000 to Local Education Agencies for mobile hotspot devices, Wi-Fi on school buses, and related services to address student and teacher broadband access gaps.

• Modifies the G.R.E.A.T. (Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology) program by redefining broadband speed standards, defining "low-cost service offerings" at $15/month maximum, and awarding bonus points for projects serving low-income households.

• Requires health benefit plans to cover telehealth and virtual health care services without prior authorization, with cost-sharing for telehealth no greater than in-person services, effective January 1, 2021.

• Authorizes counties and cities to construct and lease broadband facilities infrastructure using ad valorem tax levies, grants, and unrestricted funds, with leases permitted for up to 25 years.

• Appropriates $35,000,000 (nonrecurring) for fiscal year 2020-2021 and $50,000,000 (recurring through 2022-2023) to the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology Fund, plus $5,000,000 to the Department of Information Technology for the Homework Gap initiative.