HB298 Alabama 2022 Session

Under existing law, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers a broadband accessibility grant program to award grants to non-governmental entities that provide broadband services

This bill would increase the minimum service threshold for high-speed broadband services from 25 to 20 megabits per second of download speed and from three to 100 megabits per second of upload speed

This bill would allow governmental entities to participate in the grant program and would require an entity to have contributed its statewide broadband service availability information to the Alabama broadband mapping program over the past year to qualify for a grant

This bill would also require any federal or other funds expended by ADECA's grant program to be distributed according to the statewide connectivity plan

Under existing law, grants awarded by ADECA for unserved areas may not exceed the lesser of 35 percent of the project costs or $1,500,000

This bill would increase the amount authorized to be awarded by providing that grants awarded in unserved areas may not exceed the lesser of 80 percent of the project costs or $5,000,000

This bill would provide additional criteria for the preference of awarding of grants to organizations incorporated, headquartered, or with a principal place of business in Alabama and to projects that include services that offer certain programs

This bill would revise the window for applying for a grant and would provide exceptions to this timeframe

This bill would remove the requirement for ADECA to publish grant applications online and allow persons to object to the eligibility of the project

This bill would also provide for a one-year extension of the requirement that a funded project be completed within two years in certain circumstances

Relating to the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Act; to amend Sections 41-23-211, 41-23-212, 41-23-213, and 41-23-214, Code of Alabama 1975; to increase the minimum threshold speeds for broadband service grants; to include references to the Alabama broadband mapping program and state-wide connectivity plan; to revise criteria and eligibility for the awarding of grants; to revise the window for grant applications; to revise the grant application procedures; and to allow for a project extension in certain circumstances.