SB 85-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2021 SESSION
21-0832
05/10
SENATE BILL 85-FN
AN ACT establishing a broadband matching grant initiative and fund.
SPONSORS: Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Cavanaugh, Dist 16; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Prentiss,
Dist 5; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen.
Daniels, Dist 11; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist
13; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 1; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Rep.
Umberger, Carr. 2; Rep. Marsh, Carr. 8; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21
COMMITTEE: Election Law and Municipal Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes the broadband matching grant initiative and fund in the office of strategic
initiatives.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
SB 85-FN - AS INTRODUCED
21-0832
05/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One
AN ACT establishing a broadband matching grant initiative and fund.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 1 Findings and Purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the absolute necessity for
2 broadband Internet access for all New Hampshire residents for working, education, medicine, social
3 interaction, and other purposes. The pandemic has also shown gaps in adequate coverage primarily
4 in rural areas of New Hampshire. Increasingly residents are going to require better access to
5 broadband at a sufficient upload and download speed. A matching grant that utilizes state and
6 federal funds shall be matched by political subdivision and private funds is essential to improved
7 broadband access. The general court recognizes that a public-private partnership is essential to
8 developing broadband access required in New Hampshire.
9 2 New Subdivision; Broadband Matching Grant Initiative. Amend RSA 4-c by inserting after
10 section 37 the following new subdivision:
11 Broadband Matching Grant Initiative
12 4-C:38 Broadband Matching Grant Initiative Established.
13 I. There is hereby established within the office of strategic initiatives a broadband matching
14 grant initiative, the purpose of which shall be to provide matching grants to eligible political
15 subdivisions and communications districts in order to improve broadband access across the state.
16 II. Eligible projects shall provide high speed Internet access that meets or exceeds 25 Mbps
17 download and 3 Mbps upload (25/3 Mbps) to areas completely unserved by providers, or in areas
18 served by providers at a lower speed.
19 III. Any political subdivision or communications district formed under RSA 53-G shall be
20 eligible for a grant of up to 50 percent of the total eligible costs of a project. Projects under
21 construction at the time of application shall be ineligible. Projects in the planning stages shall be
22 eligible.
23 4-C:39 Program Guidelines; Rulemaking.
24 I. Eligible costs for the program shall include, but not limited to:
25 (a) Purchase or lease of rights of way, including pole access.
26 (b) Construction of mainline or backbone lines.
27 (c) Construction of service connections to individual homes or businesses.
28 (d) Upgrades to existing infrastructure that currently provides service that does not
29 meet the minimum of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload (25/3 Mbps) speeds.
30 (e) All other costs directly attributable to the construction project. In cases where a cost
31 is shared with another ongoing project, shared costs shall be prorated.
SB 85-FN - AS INTRODUCED
- Page 2 -
1 II. Planning costs shall be ineligible for reimbursement. For cases of demonstrated financial
2 hardship, applicants may apply for a waiver to this requirement, subject to the approval by the office
3 of strategic initiatives.
4 III. The political subdivision or communications district shall provide up to 50 percent of the
5 total cost of the project. Sources of the match may include revenue bonds issued by the political
6 subdivision or bonds issued by the communication district. Political subdivisions may negotiate with
7 broadband providers for private contribution. Any private contribution shall be credited towards the
8 political subdivision or communications district share of the project.
9 IV. The office of strategic initiatives shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A and RSA 4-C:5,
10 relative to grant application and distribution procedures.
11 4-C:40 Broadband Matching Grant Fund.
12 I. There is hereby established the broadband matching grant fund. The fund shall be keep
13 separate and distinct from all other funds and shall be continually appropriated to the director of the
14 office of strategic initiatives for the purposes of this subdivision. In addition to state appropriations,
15 the office of strategic initiatives may accept gifts, grants, and donations for deposit into the fund.
16 II. Any federal funds received by the state for the purposes of expanding or improving
17 Internet access that are not otherwise committed to other programs or required by the federal
18 legislation authorizing the funds shall be deposited into the broadband matching grant fund.
19 3 New Subparagraph; Dedicated Funds; Broadband Matching Grant Fund. Amend RSA 6:12,
20 I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (364) the following new subparagraph:
21 (365) Moneys deposited in the broadband matching grant fund under RSA 4-C:40.
22 4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.
LBA
21-0832
1/21/21
SB 85-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT establishing a broadband matching grant initiative and fund.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
Estimated Increase / (Decrease)
STATE: FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024
Appropriation $0 $0 $0 $0
Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0
Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable
Expenditures $0
Increase Increase Increase
[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other -
Funding Source:
Broadband Matching Grant Fund
COUNTY:
Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable
Revenue $0
Increase Increase Increase
Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable
Expenditures $0
Increase Increase Increase
LOCAL:
Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable
Revenue $0
Increase Increase Increase
Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable
Expenditures $0
Increase Increase Increase
METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes a broadband matching grant initiative within the Office of Strategic
Initiatives (OSI) and a nonlapsing continually appropriated Broadband Matching Grant Fund to
provide matching grants to eligible political subdivisions and communications districts in order
to improve broadband access across the state. OSI anticipates partnering with other state
agencies to fulfill the objectives of the bill. The program shall be funded with state
appropriations, gifts grants and donations and any federal funds received by the state for the
purposes of expanding or improving Internet access that are not otherwise committed to other
programs or required by the federal legislation to be used for other purposes. There is no
appropriation in this bill.
The Office is unable to estimate a potential administrative cost as the number of applications are
unknown, and therefore the fiscal impact of this new program is indeterminable.
Any political subdivision or communications district formed under RSA 53-G shall be eligible for
a grant of up to 50 percent of the total eligible costs of a project. The fiscal impact would be
based on the number and scale of eligible projects and based on rules for eligibility determined
by the Office of Strategic Initiatives.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Office of Strategic Initiatives
Statutes affected: Introduced: 6:12
latest version: 6:12