HB 13 Summary

• Establishes the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program administered by the Department of Commerce, with a $20 million appropriation for FY 2021, to provide grants covering the broadband funding gap for tier two broadband service in unserved and tier one areas.

• Creates a Broadband Expansion Program Authority to review and award grants based on a weighted scoring system prioritizing unserved areas, distressed counties, projects with matching funds, and higher broadband speeds.

• Allows electric distribution utilities to act as "broadband facilitators" to construct broadband infrastructure in priority unserved areas within the Appalachian region, with recovery of costs through rate mechanisms approved by the Public Utilities Commission.

• Grants electric cooperatives access to pole attachments for broadband providers at just and reasonable rates, with dispute resolution through courts of common pleas; establishes make-ready work procedures and cost-sharing arrangements.

• Authorizes municipalities, townships, and counties to levy special assessments on residential properties to fund broadband projects, and amends corporate separation rules to classify broadband infrastructure as noncompetitive utility service.