This week in “What’s New in Digital Equity” — our weekly look at government digital equity and broadband news — we have a number of interesting items, which you can jump to with the links below:

LATEST BEAD PROGRAM UPDATES

The federal government announced new rules for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program last week after a monthslong review process; states had been urging U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to expedite the process.

Reactions to the rule changes are mixed.


The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s new Policy Notice modifies and replaces specific requirements in the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity, which eligible entities must comply with to get their final proposals approved — although states had already done the work to have their final proposals approved. For states like Nevada, where officials had expected to already have shovels in the ground, the rule changes create unexpected barriers.

As Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen said in a statement, expressing her “outrage” that Nevada’s approval was rescinded, this decision has put the state’s broadband funding at risk.

“I’m going to put a hold on all nominations for Commerce Department positions that oversee or deal with broadband policy in any way, and block their expedited confirmation, until Nevada gets its BEAD funding,” Rosen said.

The program changes have implications to the state’s BEAD program structure, Texas officials announced, and so the state Broadband Development Office (BDO) has withdrawn its May 15 BEAD Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). The BDO is planning its next steps to comply with federal guidelines and expects to publish another NOFA later this summer.

Angela Siefer, executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, said via email that the changes to the BEAD Program — paired with the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program and the Digital Equity Act — will mean “kids will have to do their homework in parking lots, older adults won’t be able to talk to their doctors online, Americans will continue to lose millions of dollars to cyber criminals, and America’s global competitiveness will decline.”

Officials at the Open Technology Institute, a New America program focused on access to digital technology, argued in a statement that the new requirements are actually “undoing all of the states’ work on their bidding processes so far” by mandating a rebidding process on a tight timeline.

Other reactions to the changes are more positive. A statement from NCTA — The Internet and Television Association indicated the organization supports the program changes, calling them “welcome improvements” that help reduce “red tape.” The president and CEO of WISPA — The Association for Broadband Without Boundaries, said in a statement that the rules will accelerate deployment through a tech-neutral focus rather than prioritizing fiber, which has been deemed the “gold standard.”

Separately, the U.S. Senate is considering a budget bill with a provision that would establish a 10-year moratorium on artificial intelligence regulation. What does that have to do with digital equity? To put it simply, the revised text of the budget bill threatens to rescind states’ BEAD funding, which was allocated by Congress under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, should they choose to regulate AI. The provision has received bipartisan opposition, and senators have said it “tramples states’ rights and holds the $42 billion BEAD program hostage.”

In any case, states are moving forward on BEAD activities.

The BEAD program plays a critical role in getting residents connected to the Internet, especially following the termination of the Digital Equity Act (DEA), another federal program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Lawmakers continue to object to that program’s cancellation.

“Under the Constitution, Congress makes spending decisions,” members of Congress said in a June 6 letter about the DEA.

 

COLORADO LEGISLATION INCENTIVIZES WIRELESS

In state news, new legislation in Colorado signed last week by Gov. Jared Polis allows local governments to incentivize Internet service providers that build or improve wireless infrastructure.

With House Bill 25-1080, governments can offer property tax relief, incentive payments, or credits; it aims to improve service access, especially in underserved areas like rural and mountainous parts of the state. The state will leverage funding through the Advance Colorado Broadband State and Local Dollars Grant Program.

“This new law opens the door for grants and incentives to expand wireless infrastructure in the areas that need it most,” state Sen. Nick Hinrichsen said in a statement.

KANSAS EXPANDS DIGITAL SKILLS, INTERNET ACCESS

In other state news, Kansas is investing in both digital skills and Internet infrastructure.

Last week, the state governor announced $2.3 million for digital skills programming in an effort to bolster workforce readiness. This initiative aims to support 50,000 state residents through the Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans (DOCK) program.

The DOCK program involves organizations’ unique strategies to connect their communities, including one focused on expanding cybersecurity training to small businesses and another focused on educating parents on how to prepare children for safe Internet use.

Separately, the state’s Freestate Middle Mile Network, a publicly funded and publicly owned system, will break ground this month. The project includes expanded Internet access and fiber leasing opportunities.

 

DIGITAL SKILLS OPPORTUNITY IN CENTRAL OHIO

In local news, a digital upskilling initiative in Franklin County, Ohio — home to the state capital of Columbus — aims to train and distribute devices to 10,000 underserved residents.

Smart Columbus and the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition will work with 16 community-based organizations to get people online. The Digital Skills Hub’s work will involve partnership with participating organizations to ensure participants leave each of the Hub’s courses with computer skills, confidence, privacy best practices, and a no-cost device — the last of which is reserved for eligible residents.

The project is part of the ConnectUS initiative in Central Ohio, led by Smart Columbus and the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition, and funded by the city of Columbus and Franklin County.

AI WORKSHOPS TO BUILD SKILLS

The emergence of artificial intelligence certainly plays a role in digital literacy, as the technology creates new inequities around understanding and using the tools, especially in schools.

In South Bend, Ind., a school is partnering with a public library to offer free workshops on AI this summer.

The series will teach participants about the role generative AI can play in their life and career, and how to code with the technology. The in-person workshops will be at the St. Joseph County Public Library. No experience is necessary; workshops are open to people with all levels of AI skills.



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