The bill amends the "Broadband Deployment and Investment Act" to enhance broadband services in Rhode Island by introducing new findings and definitions that underscore the importance of broadband infrastructure for residents' well-being. It mandates the collection and analysis of broadband service data to ensure reliability, security, affordability, and accessibility. A new broadband regulatory authority is proposed to oversee these efforts, and definitions of "broadband" and "internet" are introduced, replacing previous definitions related to voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and internet protocol-enabled services. The bill also repeals several existing sections of the act and specifies that no state agency can regulate the entry, rates, or terms of VoIP or IP-enabled services.

Additionally, the bill requires the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation to maintain a statewide broadband map that details service availability, technology used, and consumer subscriptions, which will help identify underserved areas. The corporation is tasked with collecting data from internet service providers (ISPs) regarding service outages and publishing an annual summary of this data. To support the development of the broadband map, all state agencies must provide necessary information, while private data can be aggregated to protect confidentiality. The bill outlines the establishment of a broadband regulatory authority, which must submit a plan to the governor and general assembly within one year, and it includes provisions for imposing fees on ISPs based on their revenue to finance data collection activities, along with penalties for non-compliance. Overall, the act aims to improve broadband infrastructure and accessibility while ensuring transparency and accountability.