Tenn. Gov. Haslam Pitches $45 Million for Broadband
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) proposed $45 million in broadband grants and tax credits, and to allow nonprofit electric cooperatives to provide retail broadband service. The proposed budget and Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act also would make grant funding available to…
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libraries, the state government said in a Thursday news release. The $45 million would be distributed over three years and include $30 million for broadband providers to reach unserved homes and businesses, plus $15 million to buy broadband equipment in the state’s most economically challenged counties, the state government said in a fact sheet. The proposal doesn’t address Tennessee’s ban on municipal broadband expansion, which was upheld last year by the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Tennessee Senate Leader Mark Norris (R) will introduce the bill in his chamber, and House Leader Glen Casada (R) and Rep. David Hawk (R) will sponsor it in theirs, a spokeswoman for the governor said. “While there is no one solution that can guarantee broadband accessibility to every single Tennessean, this legislation provides a reasonable, responsible path to improve access in a meaningful way through investment, deregulation and education,” Haslam said. It’s progress, but could be better, said Institute for Local Self-Reliance Community Broadband Networks Director Christopher Mitchell. Tennessee had been violating the Telecom Act by creating barriers to cooperatives building fiber networks, he said. But Haslam “refuses to upset Comcast and AT&T by allowing the state's best networks (like Chattanooga) to expand to serve its neighbors,” Mitchell emailed us. “It is a cowardly move forward but better than a cowardly move backwards.” Tennessee is one state community broadband advocates are watching this year for state legislative action, our Friday report found (see 1701260022).