Municipal broadband advocates in Ohio realized a major victory today when a bipartisan House and Senate conference committee released the final version of their state budget plan that added $250 million to expand broadband access in the Buckeye State and removed the anonymous budget amendment that would have effectively banned municipal broadband networks if passed into law.… Read More
When the Ohio Senate passed its two-year $75-billion budget bill yesterday, it included an amendment that effectively bans the creation and operation of municipal broadband networks and other community-owned projects without much in the way of public debate. The move is drawing a lot of blowback, from cities in the state to local and national advocacy organizations to the Lieutenant Governor.… Read More
Yesterday, following weeks of anticipation, State Gov. Jay Islee signed the Public Broadband Act (H.B. 1336), removing all restrictions on public broadband in the state of Washington, according to the bill’s primary sponsor, State Rep. Drew Hansen. This critical leap forward in Washington drops the number of states with laws restricting community broadband to 17. … Read More
In the heart of Adams County, Pennsylvania, not far from the site of the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg, plans are being drawn up in the battle for better broadband.… Read More
Last week, House Republicans introduced a bill package ostensibly to promote broadband expansion and competition across the country. In reality, the legislation is a wish list of monopoly cable and telephone companies that will protect them from competition and decrease their accountability to the public. It would also ban communities from building their own networks or engaging in public-private partnerships.… Read More
A new study shows that states which enact barriers to entry for municipal and cooperative broadband networks reduce broadband availability.… Read More
To help local governments that want to improve connectivity during the pandemic, we at the Community Broadband Networks initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance have teamed up with the Local Solutions Support Center to produce a number of helpful resources, including a guide for local governments and an interactive state broadband preemption map.… Read More
As the pandemic drags on, local governments across the country are looking for ways to connect their residents. To help local officials and advocates figure out if their community is able to take action, we worked with the Local Solutions Support Center (LSSC) to develop a step-by-step guide.… Read More
Host Christopher Mitchell speaks with Fordham Law School Professor Nestor Davidson and National League of Cities Research Director Christiana McFarland about a recent report on home rule. … Read More
