MN House Bill passes: , A bill for an act relating to telecommunications (HF4052)

Posted on by
Reply

The Minnesota House reports…

HF4052 (Kresha) Various provisions governing telephone company regulation, facilities and property, pricing plans, service classification, and reporting requirements.

More details…

HF. No. 4052, A bill for an act relating to telecommunications; modifying and clarifying various provisions governing telephone company regulation, facilities and property, pricing plans, service classification, and reporting requirements; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 237.035; 237.036; 237.069; 237.07, subdivision 1; 237.11; 237.164; 237.626, subdivisions 1, 3; 237.66, by adding subdivisions; 237.70, subdivision 7; 237.762, subdivision 5; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 237.065; 237.066; 237.067; 237.071; 237.072; 237.075, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11; 237.14; 237.15; 237.16, subdivision 9; 237.22; 237.231; 237.59, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10; 237.66, subdivisions 1, 1a, 1c, 1d, 2, 2a, 3; 237.75; 237.766; 237.768; 237.772; 237.775.

      The bill was read for the third time and placed upon its final passage.

The question was taken on the passage of the bill and the roll was called.  There were 134 yeas and 0 nays as follows:

The bill was passed and its title agreed to.

Notes from Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems) SHPO

Posted on by
Reply

Today the Office of Broadband Development held a session on Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems). Below are the slides and notes on questions. The information is detailed and the OBD will be posting the archive on their website when available.

Questions:

  • Archeologists are hired to write a report. They should submit the report to SHPO when you send to the clients.
  • Q: Do you expect any permitting streamlining efforts by others to impact MN SHPO processes or requirements?
    A: No. Other entities may need to work with DEED.
    A: BEAD hired Megan to help and that will be huge.
  • This webinar isn’t about BEAD.

Resources shared during the presentation:

Minnesota is Tops for Hospital telehealth adoption by state

Posted on by
Reply

Becker Health IT reports…

Here is the percentage of hospitals that offer telehealth in each state, according to an April analysis by Definitive Healthcare using its proprietary hospital data:

1. Minnesota: 80.8%
2. Michigan: 80.3%
3. Wisconsin: 80.2%
4. South Dakota: 79.2%
5. North Carolina: 78.7%
6. Iowa: 78%
7. Vermont: 76.5%
8. Pennsylvania: 76.4%
9. Oregon: 76.1%
10. Indiana: 73.5%
11. New York: 73.1%
12. Illinois: 72.8%
13. Ohio: 71.9%
14. District of Columbia: 71.4%
15. West Virginia: 71.1%
16. Virginia: 69.7%
17. New Jersey: 69%
18. Massachusetts: 68.7%
19. Missouri: 68.7%
20. Maryland: 67.6%
21. Connecticut: 67.3%
22. Delaware: 66.7%
23. Utah: 64.3%
24. Montana: 64.2%
25. Kentucky: 63.8%
26. Nebraska: 62.7%
27. Washington: 57.5%
28. Arizona: 57.4%
29. North Dakota: 57.1%
30. South Carolina: 55.8%
31. Rhode Island: 55.6%
32. California: 55.1%
33. Oklahoma: 55%
34. Maine: 55%
35. Tennessee: 52%
36. Alaska: 51.7%
37. New Hampshire: 51.4%
38. Texas: 51.4%
39. Idaho: 50%
40. Colorado: 48.8%
41. Mississippi: 48%
42. Florida: 47.8%
43. Georgia: 47.7%
44. Wyoming: 47.2%
45. Arkansas: 47.1%
46. Alabama: 46.5%
47. Nevada: 45.1%
48. Louisiana: 43%
49. New Mexico: 42.6%
50. Kansas: 40%
51. Hawaii: 32.3%

 

OBD Broadband Update April 23, 2026: Conference, Task Force, Line Extension

Posted on by
Reply

From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Register today! April 29, Connecting One: Minnesota 2026 Broadband Summit
  • Broadband Task Force, April meeting plans
  • Line Extension Connection Program, Round 5 updates
  • Virtual Broadband Development Training Series, final session today, April 23

Register today! April 29, Connecting One: Minnesota 2026 Broadband Summit

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Office of Broadband Development is hosting the Connecting One: Minnesota 2026 Broadband Summit on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. This in-person event will bring together national leaders, internet service providers, federal, state, tribal, and local government partners, and broadband advocates from across Minnesota. Connecting people to resources, information, and each other is critical to Minnesota’s economic stability and digital opportunity. Afternoon breakout sessions will cover key topics on BEAD implementation, as well as sessions on permitting, mapping, and digital skills.

The summit will be held at the Heritage Center of Brooklyn Center (6155 Earle Brown Drive, Brooklyn Center, MN 55434).
We are committed to providing equal access to this conference for all participants. If you need alternative formats or other reasonable accommodations, please contact mndeedevents@state.mn.us by the close of business on Friday, April 17, 2026.

Broadband Task Force, April meeting plans

The Broadband Task Force will be meeting on Wednesday, April 29 from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. CT during the Connecting One: Minnesota 2026 Broadband Summit. This meeting will be held in-person and is open to anyone from the public to attend, however, tickets are required to enter. Registration information is available above and on the event webpage.

More information on this and past meetings can be found on the Broadband Task Force webpage.

Line Extension Connection Program, Round 5 updates

The Round 5 Provider Bidding Application and Line Extension Program Guide, with guidance for the fast-tracked round, have been posted to the Line Extension Connection Program webpage along with an expected timeline (dates subject to change):

  • Bidding Window Opened: April 22, 2026
  • Bids Due: May 22, 2026 by 1:30 p.m. CT 

Registration remains open for residents and businesses for future rounds of the Line Extension Connection Program and OBD expects to announce a sixth round of the program with standard timelines using state funds later in 2026.

More information and registration are available on the Line Extension Connection Program webpage. For assistance completing the application or to request a paper form to complete, please call 651-259-7610 or email DEED.broadband@state.mn.us.

Virtual Broadband Development Training Series, final session today, April 23

OBD has been working alongside other state agencies on streamlining environmental reviews and permitting efforts for broadband infrastructure projects across Minnesota. Originally held in 2024, this April, OBD and state agency partners will offer four new webinar sessions through a revised Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems).

The final session will feature an overview from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on processes and updates, including how to submit archaeological survey reports as part of review.

This session will be recorded and shared on the OBD Webinars and Recorded Events webpage.

EVENT April 29: OBD’s Connecting One Minnesota-Broadband Meeting

Posted on by
Reply

I have already posted about this event, OBD’s Connecting One Minnesota-Broadband Meeting / Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. But it seemed worth a post to talk about the event. I’m excited to hear from “National Broadband Perspective and Insights from Leading Associations” in the morning. It will be interesting to see how other states are dealing with BEAD these days.

Then the MN Broadband Task Force is meeting over lunch. Attendees are invited to join and if you haven’t attended a Task Force meeting in the past, I encourage you to show up. It’s instructive to hear what they talk about, and it would be great for the Task Force members to hear from the public!

Also, I’m on one on of the afternoon panels talking with some great folks on Community Engagement & Outreach: Building Broadband Momentum in Minnesota. Please come and help me remember creative solutions local communities have used in the past.

St Francis City Council approves first reading of an ordinance on small cell technology (Anoka County)

Posted on by
Reply

Hometown Source reports…

St Francis City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance on small cell technology at their April 20 meeting.

Here are more details from the St Francis City Council website…

Ordinance Amendment – City Code Chapter 7 – First Reading

Ordinance 357 amending City Code Chapter 7, Section 5, Sub. 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, and 20 adding Small Cell Wireless Facility

Emily Thabes enters race for Minnesota House District 2B – mentions broadband

Posted on by
Reply

The Pilot Independent reports…

Emily Thabes, a Clearwater County resident since March 2020 and executive director of the Beltrami County Historical Society, announced that she is running for the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 2B. She will challenge Republican incumbent Matt Bliss in November.

The article mentions Clearwater County’s current broadband status…

Itasca County ranks among the highest in the state for property tax burden and among the lowest for median household income. Mahnomen County, home to the White Earth Nation, has a 37 percent poverty rate and the 47th-worst broadband coverage of any Minnesota county.

Greater Minnesota is short 42,581 childcare slots. The December 2025 federal funding freeze cut access for an additional 23,000 Minnesota children statewide, in a region where northeast Minnesota already holds the highest job vacancy rate in the state.

And Thabes response to the concerns…

She says tribal and non-tribal communities across the district face the same healthcare, housing, broadband, and workforce shortages, and that the solutions to those problems require working across jurisdictional lines, not around them. Her platform treats the district’s economies, resorts, agriculture, tribal enterprise and outdoor recreation as a system built on the same shared land and water.

Should the data center conversation also include broadband expansion?

Posted on by
Reply

An Op-Ed from Next City wonders why municipalities aren’t looking at broadband expansion as a talking point for data centers…

As data centers pop up across the country, communities are asking hard questions about their true value: megawatts of electricity used, gallons of water absorbed, tax abatements for developers, and the true number of jobs created.

The current debate positions data centers as a tradeoff between growth and strain, pitting economic development versus environmental and infrastructure impact.

These are important questions. They deserve scrutiny. But they are not the whole picture. …

For communities — especially in rural areas — who may still be working to install broadband networks, the data center debate is an opportunity for a structured and thoughtful broadband infrastructure transformation.

While discussions on water and power define where a data center will locate, it is the connectivity that will define what impact it will have on a community.

I have wondered why this hasn’t come up earlier in this current chapter of data centers. Around 2014, Eagan made very purposeful strides to connect broadband to data centers as an economic development strategy. And I remember (in 2011), when Duluth was trying to become a Google Fiber Community that the cold as an asset to data centers and the recent addition of the Involta data center was a plus. Clearly, this is a decade before the arrival hyperscale data center in Minnesota and hyperscale is a game changer. But this article got me looking at what happened years ago. I cannot say whether data centers are a good or bad idea for you community, but the advice I saw 10 years ago looks similar to the first step given in this article…

To create a robust plan for local connectivity, all stakeholders must be involved. That includes broadband providers that lay the fiber and build the infrastructure that connect our businesses, schools, and hospitals to the modern economy. These companies are core stakeholders, not background infrastructure.

However, these providers are often noticeably absent from such conversation. At a recent Columbus City Council hearing about data center development, for example, not a single internet provider or broadband expert was among the presentations. The room was filled, the news was filming, strong opinions were shared – and yet, broadband was not represented.

Not having all stakeholders at the table means that decisions about data centers are being made with incomplete information as to the whole picture of the costs and benefits of development.

The American Broadband Deployment Act could change broadband permitting and siting

Posted on by
Reply

Wireless Estimator reports ona bill that was going through the Congress yesterday (spoiler: Punchbowl news reported that this bill was pulled from the House floor). While the immediacy may be gone, I think it’s still helpful to know what is being discussed…

A bill working its way through Congress could be one of the most significant boosts the tower and telecom siting and contracting industry has seen in years — and it may be one step closer to becoming law by tonight.

H.R. 2289, the American Broadband Deployment Act, introduced by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), is a sweeping federal bill designed to streamline nationwide permitting for broadband and telecommunications infrastructure.
What began as a one-page proposal to exempt specified broadband projects from federal environmental and historic review requirements expanded dramatically through committee amendments into a roughly 100-page omnibus bill incorporating more than 20 separate permitting and preemption provisions affecting wireless siting, wireline broadband deployment, cable franchising, and federal review processes.
It would limit the ability of local governments to delay, restrict, or add costs to tower and network deployments — cutting through the kind of bureaucratic red tape that has slowed projects and drained contractor resources for years.

The bill has passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee and significantly restructures how local governments may regulate the placement, construction, and modification of communications facilities in public rights-of-way and on locally controlled property.

Industry support for the bill is broad and deep.

The industry is interested in bill; local governments are not as interested…

Not everyone is on board, however. A powerful coalition of local government organizations is fighting back hard. The National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Association of Counties, and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors jointly oppose the bill, calling it an unprecedented and dangerous usurpation of local governments’ authority to manage public rights-of-way and land use.
The local organizations wrote that the bill “creates a framework that prioritizes communication companies’ shareholder value at the expense of the safety and financial interests of the communities and the taxpayers they serve.” Critics further argue that the bill would undermine public safety, force local taxpayers to subsidize private corporations, and disrupt the very broadband deployment progress it aims to accelerate.

New MN Bill: to establish a steering committee that would provide recommendations on current human services IT HF4675

Posted on by
Reply

Last week, the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee, heard about HF4675 to establish a steering committee that would provide recommendations on current human services IT systems and the development of new ones…

Counties have long lamented outdated “Oregon Trail”-era IT systems used to enroll Minnesotans in Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Women Infants and Children, and other public assistance programs. Soon, President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” will introduce increased complexity to these systems and legislators have said the status quo can’t accommodate that.

In addition to remedies proposed by Gov. Tim Walz and other legislators throughout the session, Rep. Danny Nadeau (R-Rogers) has a proposal to kickstart upgrades and modernizations.

He sponsors HF4675 to establish a steering committee that would provide recommendations on current human services IT systems and the development of new ones. The bill would also appropriate an undetermined amount of money in Fiscal Year 2027 to update county IT systems.

The committee laid the bill over.

Counties currently use two systems to process claims: MAXIS, launched in 1989, and METS, established in 2014.

Testifiers said both systems have issues.

Benton asks if the changes to BEAD proposed by the Trump Administration are legal

Posted on by
Reply

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society has asked the question that I think many of us have pondered – are all of these change to BEAD legal? They recently posted an article from Tejas N. Narechania is a Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law on the topic. He starts with the setup…

In 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which allocated over $42 billion to the new Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program to ensure high-speed Internet access for every American.[1] That money was allocated across 56 states and territories responsible for selecting the providers that will build connectivity to unserved and underserved locations.

After President Trump’s second inauguration, his administration implemented several changes to the BEAD Program. Among them are two new conditions on state funding.

First, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), announced that it would prohibit states from regulating broadband rates or imposing network neutrality rules on broadband providers,[2] even after several federal courts held that such rules fell within the states’ traditional, lawful powers. NTIA has since asked states to sign amended “Notices of Award”—documents governing BEAD grants—that purport to implement this prohibition statewide, even in locations not subsidized by BEAD (e.g., places with existing service).

Second, Executive Order No. 14,365 directs the Secretary of Commerce to identify “onerous” state laws regulating AI systems,[3] singling out Colorado’s prohibition against biased AI systems used for discriminatory purposes as an example.[4] The Executive Order then declares that any state with an onerous law will be deemed ineligible for certain “nondeployment” BEAD funds. As of April 2026, the Commerce Secretary has yet to release this “naughty list” of AI laws.

Both conditions are unlawful.

The author goes on to explain that both conditions are inconsistent with the text of the IIJA and other statutory provisions, there’s no federal power to preempt state AI and broadband regulation and federal authorities doesn’t have the power to regulate and to preempt state regulation. The explanations in the article are more complete and succinctly explained. It’s worth checking out the full article.

How do job-seeking kids feel about AI? Not great

Posted on by
Reply

Axios reports…

America, we have a problem: Young adults are scared and unprepared for the AI revolution upending their early career choices and prospects.

  • They tell pollsters they’re frightened, even angry, about AI’s fast arrival. They’re rightly unnerved by a tough job market for college grads. And most aren’t remotely equipped by schools to be AI-savvy.

Why it matters: This is a growing problem for just about everyone — kids, educators, employers and politicians.

  • The youngest, most technologically native age group should be among the biggest cheerleaders and beneficiaries of AI. They aren’t. If anything, their feelings are growing more sour.

By the numbers: Gen Z’s excitement about AI dropped 14 points over the last year to just 22%, according to Gallup polling released last week. Hopefulness about the technology fell nine points to 18%, while anger rose nine points to 31%.

Notes from Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems)

Posted on by
Reply

Today the Office of Broadband Development held a session on Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems). Below are the slides and notes on questions.

 

 

Questions

 

Q: Shouldn’t one clue have been that gas line should have been in yellow conduit, not blueish/green?
A: Yes

 

Q: Hi Mike, thank you so much for joining us today. Two questions; 1) How is the MNOPS preparing for the massive increase of broadband deployment construction projects that will hit the MNOPS and 811 locate program that will be part of the next four years for the BEAD program? 2) As new entrants to the broadband market, rural electric coops have experienced significant delays due to incumbent telco/ISP not providing timely locates. How will MNOPS insure BEAD broadband projects are not delayed due to incumbent telco/ISP locate delays?

A: We get a lot of communications. There has been an impact.
We are trying to mitigate locate delays. But yet, projects are been delayed.

 

Q Mike would it be a good use of BEAD funds to pay for more locators, are there enough locators available in the market or is there a skill shortage?
A: We ask that regularly. We can recommend but not demand.

 

 

Q: Is MNOPS able to proactively work with MN DEED to ensure locating companies in rural Minnesota are staffed appropriately to support the massive fiber construction about to begin?

A: We are happy to partner

 

Notes:

Resources are available on the Line Extension Connection Program (https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/extension/) and federal BEAD program (https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/bead/). 

Sign up for the April 23 session: https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/6a5c02c3-d4f8-48fb-9ad5-c6f137b98955@eb14b046-24c4-4519-8f26-b89c2159828c  

Registration for the 4/29 Broadband Summit site is available here: mn.gov/deed/events/connecting/  

Leech Lake Broadband Project Seeks Contact With Individuals Listed on Tribal Allotment Notice

Posted on by
Reply

Leech Lake News reports...

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Broadband Project is seeking to connect with individuals regarding their ownership interest in tribal allotment lands.

Those whose names are listed below are asked to contact Sally Fineday, Donovan Staples or Rebbecca Woods at 218-335-8263.

Certified letters were sent to each person on the list in July 2025.

Individuals may also choose to complete an online response form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/P75ZZRS. A QR code is also available for direct access to the form.

The article includes a specific list of names they have tried to contact. I’m sharing this on the off chance that I reach something that Leech Lake hasn’t but also because the straightforward approach to expansion.

Bluepeak offers 2 Gig broadband speeds in Worthington

Posted on by
Reply

Bluepeak announces…

Bluepeak, a leading provider of high-speed internet, is excited to announce that internet speeds in Worthington have doubled as part of an ongoing network upgrade. Customers can now access up to 2 Gig internet, delivering faster downloads, smoother streaming, and improved reliability for every connected device in the home.

In addition, Bluepeak’s 500 Mbps and 1 Gig plans now include symmetrical upload and download speeds. These speed upgrades provide equally fast performance, so households can stream, game, and work simultaneously on multiple devices, with greater ease and consistency.

Fast just got faster in Worthington! For more details on the new speeds, readers can visit mybluepeak.com/fasterspeeds.

This upgrade is also just the beginning. Bluepeak recently launched a transformative, multi-million multi-year fiber overbuild across southwest Minnesota. Worthington is slated to be included in the fiber overbuild this year, with construction expected to begin in early summer. This expansion will continue to significantly enhance internet performance and reliability for Worthington’s residents.