Colo. Counties Regroup After Muni Broadband Bill Stalls; Va. Bill Pared Back

Policy Director Eric Bergman told us. Under the law, communities may vote to give their local government authority to deploy broadband, and 26 localities voted to do so in November, joining 70 others (see 1611090024). Monday, a Senate committee voted 4-3 to indefinitely postpone consideration of the CCI-backed SB-42. Bergman said it’s uncertain whether CCI will push for another repeal of the ban next year, but this year, CCI wants the legislature to support another pending bill (HB-1174) to exempt rural counties with populations below 50,000 people from a state requirement that the county must first contract with a telecom provider before establishing a “local improvement district” to fund telecom service enhancements. “This will create one more tool in the toolbox for rural communities that are struggling to bring much-needed service and infrastructure to their unserved areas,” said a draft CCI fact sheet on the bill. Meanwhile, the Virginia Senate voted 35-3 Thursday to pass an amended muni-broadband bill (HB-2108) that -- while initially containing restrictions vehemently opposed by localities and community broadband supporters (see 1702100053) -- by Monday had their support after a Senate Committee stripped remaining areas of contention. The committee amended the bill to remove a clause on Freedom of Information Act exemptions and now the bill “no longer poses a threat to local and municipal broadband authorities,” said Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority CEO Frank Smith in a statement. “Instead it merely reasserts the very same laws and procedures in the Code of Virginia to which we all already operate and gladly adhere and abide.” A final House vote on the amended bill is likely Friday, said a Friends of Municipal Broadband spokeswoman.