Nebraska Legislators Weigh Flurry of Broadband Bills
Nebraska should repeal dark fiber restrictions so public power utilities can lease infrastructure for broadband, urged state Sen. Tom Brandt (R) at the unicameral legislature’s Transportation and Telecom Committee’s livestreamed meeting Tuesday. The panel heard testimony on many broadband bills…
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this week, as legislators grapple with how best to respond to rural gaps highlighted by COVID-19. Brandt, sponsoring LB-460, said utilities are “not in the commercial broadband business, nor wish to get into this business.” The League of Nebraska Municipalities said it would help spread broadband, but the Nebraska Internet Television Association opposed it as unfair to telecom providers. The committee also heard testimony on LB-600 to expand broadband financing options for public power districts and electric cooperatives. The panel later that day planned to consider LB-498 to require the Public Service Commission to test and map broadband, LB-656 to authorize municipal broadband, LB-338 to restore invalidated PSC rules letting local rural residents assess their own broadband needs and choose their own eligible telecom carrier, and LB-398 to increase state broadband speed standards to 100 Mbps symmetrical from 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload today. Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) testified Monday on his proposal (LB-388) to spend $40 million over two years for broadband expansion. Also that day, the committee mulled LB-456 to provide $10 million in annual broadband grants and loans, LB-604 to set up a competitive grant program for 50 Mbps symmetrical broadband, LB-455 to clarify broadband pole attachment rules and LB-520 to align state wireless siting and collocation rules with FCC regulations.