BILL NUMBER: S679
SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in
relation to the affordable housing broadband assistance grant program
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to require the ConnectAll Office to estab-
lish the affordable housing broadband assistance grant program.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Section 16-gg of section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of
1968 constituting the New York state urban development corporation act,
as added by section 2 of part MMM of chapter 58 of the laws of 2022, is
amended by adding a new subdivision 10-a creating an affordable housing
broadband assistance grant program. Section 1 further establishes crite-
ria related to the grant program and its creation.
Section 2: Establishes the enacting clause.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The Affordable Housing Broadband Assistance Grant program will aid in
bridging the broadband adoption gap that impacts communities across the
state. Despite technological advancement and an increased need for high-
speed internet access, a significant portion of New Yorkers struggle to
afford this essential service. According to a State Comptroller analysis
of census data, over 1 million New York households do not have a broad-
band subscription despite having access to one or more providers'. The
federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is potentially ending,
leaving over 1.7 million New York households without this critical bene-
fit. 2
This new grant program would promulgate public-private partnerships to
deliver high-speed Internet to the underserved New Yorkers. This is a
proven model that has worked in other municipalities by eliminating
known barriers to adoption and delivering an uninterrupted high-speed
Internet connection. New York has over $1.3 billion in state and federal
broadband funds to help expand access and support adoption, thus, this
legislation is a proactive measure to provide high-speed broadband
Internet access to all communities. 3
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
1 Office of the New York State Comptroller, Availability, Access and
Affordability, Understanding Broadband Challenges in New York State.
Retrieved from: https://www.osc.ny.govireports/availability-access-and-
affordability- understanding-broadband-challengesnew-york-state
2 Universal Service Administrative Company, ACP Enrollment and Claims
Tracker. Retrieved from: https://www.usac.org/aboutiaffordable-
connectivity-program/acp-
enrollment-and-claims-trackerMenrollment-by-state
3 Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee Meeting, New York State of
Opportunity ConnectALL. Retrieved from:
https://broadband.ny.gov/system/filesidocuments/2023/10/ broadband-de-
ployment-advisory-committee-oct ober-18-2023.pdf