Tenn. Bill Proposes Broadband Commission
Tennessee legislation introduced Tuesday would create a commission to coordinate state broadband policies. Under HB-194 by Rep. Bill Sanderson (R), the proposed commission on education and technology would “foster collaborative relationships between local governments, private businesses, and the state to…
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expand broadband.” Other duties include watching federal broadband funding opportunities, setting goals and metrics for broadband expansion across the state, providing education about broadband to local governments for underserved communities, and recommending broadband policies at the state and local levels. The group’s membership would include various state government officials and representatives for schools, libraries and counties. The bill doesn’t address the state’s ban on expanding municipal broadband, upheld last year by a federal court, which stopped Chattanooga from bringing its fiber network to neighboring communities. Sanderson didn’t comment on that policy. Last week, 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 (see 1701270037). Tennessee is one state community broadband advocates are watching this year for state legislative action, our Friday report found (see 1701260022).