H1059 - GREAT Broadband Expansions

• Establishes a new wireless broadband grant program requiring minimum speeds of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload, allocating up to $5,000,000 annually in State funds with potential for additional appropriations.

• Increases grant funding caps from $4,000,000 to $8,000,000 per single grant award and from $8,000,000 to $32,000,000 per county per fiscal year.

• Increases annual State Capital and Infrastructure Fund transfers from $15,000,000 to $20,000,000 for broadband grants through fiscal year 2028-2029.

• Modifies county matching fund requirements based on American Rescue Plan Act funds received, with scoring incentives for counties providing $1,000,000 or more in matching funds from federal sources.

• Restricts protesting of grant applications proposing deployment in protected project areas and limits project area protection periods to the lesser of project completion or three years, allowing other eligible projects to deploy in protected areas if necessary to serve unserved populations.