New Mexico Broadband Legislation: HB10

HOUSE BILL 10: Connect New Mexico Act (Laws 2021, Ch. 120)

• Creates the Connect New Mexico Council
  • Meet Monthly and four-year terms (staggered)
  • Coordinate state agency broadband programs/projects
  • Evaluate, prioritize, and award grant proposals
  • Adopt rules to establish a competitive grant program
• Develop a Digital Equity Analysis and Plan inclusive of local/state/tribal entities
  • Address affordability, training, and education
  • Identify state/federal/private sector programs to close the digital equity gap
  • Progress Report due August 1, 2023, to be incorporated in the Statewide Broadband Plan by January 1, 2024
• Creates the non-reverting Connect New Mexico Fund (appropriations, gifts, grants, donations)
• Annual Report due October 1st each year
• Increases amount of the PRC Rural Universal Services Fund to a minimum of $8M

HB10: https://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/21%20Regular/final/HB0010.pdf

New Mexico Broadband Legislation: SB93

SENATE BILL 93: Broadband Access and Expansion Act (Laws 2021, Chapter 123)

• Creates the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion; administratively supported by the
  Department of Information Technology (DoIT)
• Office managed by a director appointed by the Governor
• Duties include
  • Establish standards for quality of service (homes, businesses, public facilities)
  • Maintain the online NM Broadband Map
  • Create and maintain a repository for broadband data/information
  • Develop a three-year statewide broadband plan (due January 1, 2022)
    • –  Update plan annually and report to the Governor
    • –  Plan to be inclusive of state/local agencies, tribes, and public education input
  • Office required to
    • –  Provide technical and planning assistance with a focus on regional planning
    • –  Form an advisory committee inclusive of state/local/tribal entities and the public
    • –  Identify federal and other funding sources​
  • State agencies required to coordinate with the Office

SB93: https://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/21%20Regular/final/SB0093.pdf

New Mexico Broadband Legislation: SB377

SENATE BILL 377: Broadband Appropriations - $110M (Laws 2021, Ch. 140, Section 17) • Broadband Appropriations to the Connect New Mexico Fund (FY2021-2026)

• Plan, design, engineer, construct, and purchase, and equip broadband infrastructure ($70M)
  • –  No more than seven million ($7M) to be spent contingent on submittal of an expenditure plan
  • –  Development of a Broadband Office ($500K)
• Grants to local governments, tribes, electric/telephone cooperatives for planning/grant writing support ($5M)

– No more than $500K be spent contingent on submittal of an expenditure plan
• Plan, design, engineer, construct, purchase, and equip broadband infrastructure for schools ($25M)
from the Public-School Reform Fund
– No more than $2.5M to be spent contingent on submittal of an expenditure plan
• Appropriation of $10M to Economic Development Department to support “Emerging Broadband Technology”

SB377: https://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/21%20Regular/final/SB0377.pdf

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Federal Policy and Legislation

Federal Policy and Legislation: https://www.digitalinclusion.org/policy/