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House Commerce Omnibus Policy Bill Includes Equal Access to Broadband Act Language
The bill would allow cities to franchise broadband and removes the cumbersome supermajority referendum requirement for municipal broadband establishment.
On March 22, the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee considered and advanced HF 4077, authored by commerce committee Chair Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL-Coon Rapids), which as amended (pdf) has become the vehicle for the commerce omnibus policy bill.
The bill, which was approved on a voice vote and sent to the House floor for consideration, includes two important broadband related provisions that are supported by the League.
Bill details
The bill includes language from HF 4182, the Equal Access to Broadband Act authored by Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL-Golden Valley). The language updates Minnesota telecommunications statutes to reflect the changing conditions of the market and extends local franchising authority in statute to allow Minnesota cities the ability to franchise wireline broadband providers. An amendment (pdf) was added to clarify several provisions including a clarification that only local franchising authorities have the ability to franchise and an exemption for wireless providers and satellite providers.
Additionally, the omnibus bill includes language from HF 3679 authored by Rep. Larry Kraft (DFL-St. Louis Park) that removes statutory barriers in Minnesota Statutes, section 273.19, which requires a supermajority voter approval for a city to provide municipal broadband.
The League has worked diligently to ensure that this language remains in consideration as the House and Senate begin discussing final provisions in the omnibus commerce policy bill.