I am going to try to at least track the bills that get introduced that are at all related to broadband and/or broadband use. I may not follow all closely. Click the bill number for more info and updates:
Co-Chair: Rep. Mike Freiberg holds the gavel
Co-Chair: Rep. Duane Quam
Location: Capitol G23
Agenda:
HF4077 (Greenman) – Prohibiting municipalities from entering into nondisclosure agreements.
More info…
HF4077(Greenman)
Municipalities prohibited from entering into nondisclosure agreements.
Minnesota state lawmakers are proposing bills to regulate access to artificial intelligence. One proposal is to ban children from using AI chatbots. It would also prohibit health insurers from using AI to determine if a procedure is medically necessary. A separate bill would ban the use of AI algorithms to set different prices for the same goods and services for different consumers. Both Republicans and Democrats alike at the Minnesota State Capitol believe that in the absence of federal regulations, states must create their own.
Fidium will extend its reach within Flexential’s data centers in Dallas and Plano, Texas, and Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota. The agreement builds on Fidium’s expanding national data center footprint.
Fidium, a leading provider of high-capacity fiber network solutions, today announced an expanded relationship with Flexential, a premier provider of data center colocation and hybrid IT solutions. Through the Flexential Marketplace, part of the recently launched FlexAnywhere® platform, Fidium will extend its reach and visibility within Flexential’s data centers in Dallas and Plano, Texas and Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota, enabling enterprises, carriers, and hyperscalers to scale connectivity faster than ever before.
From the Institute for Local Self Reliance…
The American Association for Public Broadband (AAPB) and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) Community Broadband Networks Initiative are continunig the year with another one of their increasingly popular and informative webinars.
Slated for March 19th from 12 to 1:00 pm ET, the livestream event – “High-Density, High Impact: Connecting Apartment Buildings, Public Housing and Multi-Dwelling Units” – will be live on YouTube and feature an eye-opening conversation on Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs) and the real challenges/opportunities on connecting a significant portion of the population.
The webinar will feature guest appearances by DigitalC CEO Joshua Edmonds, Principal with HR&A Advisors Anna Read, and REVInternet CEO and Founder Brendan Kelly.
Register to attend for free above.
The webinar is open to community leaders, policymakers, broadband practitioners, and advocates nationwide
From the Office of Broadband Development…
Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates
- Save the date! April 29, Connecting One: Minnesota 2026 Broadband Summit
- Register now, 2026 Broadband Development Training Series
- Line Extension Connection Program
- Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) in Minnesota
Save the date! 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.
The summit will be held at the Heritage Center of Brooklyn Center (6155 Earle Brown Drive, Brooklyn Center, MN 55434). Free parking will be available at the venue.
Registration will open in early spring. A $20 registration fee helps offset catering and conference costs.
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.
Register now, 2026 Broadband Development Training Series
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).
2026 sessions will feature a combination of updates from previous presenters and new information from partner agencies with resources for broadband program grantees. Sessions will be recorded and shared on the OBD Webinars and Recorded Events webpage.
- Register here, Thursday April 2, 10:00 a.m. CDT | Department of Labor and Industry
- Register here, Thursday April 9, 10:00 a.m. CDT | Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and the Office of the State Archaeologist
- Register here, Thursday April 16, 10:00 a.m. CDT | Office of Pipeline Safety
- Register here, Thursday April 23, 10:00 a.m. CDT | State Historic Preservation Office
Line Extension Connection Program
Registration remains open for residents and businesses for future rounds of the Line Extension Connection Program. More information and the registration page 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.
Outreach materials on registration will be mailed to over 61,000 locations in the coming weeks. OBD expects to run a fifth round of Line Extension with state project funds in Spring 2026 and is currently in the process of rolling out awards and getting confirmation of award acceptance from providers for Round 4. Preliminary awards have been published to the Line Extension Connection Program webpage.
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) in Minnesota
OBD continues to update the OBD BEAD webpage as resources are made available.
On December 19, 2025, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved Minnesota’s BEAD Final Proposal, advancing the state’s plan to expand high‑speed internet with federal funding. Following extensive engagement, restructuring, and over 18 rounds of curing, Minnesota has been initially approved for:
- $378.9 million in BEAD subgrants across 94 projects. These projects are supported by nearly $190 million in matching funds, representing a total anticipated investment of more than $568.8 million
- Funds will connect 74,739 locations
On Monday February 9, 2026 OBD received its BEAD Notice of Award (NoA) from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Next steps will include contracting with subgrantees, which must be completed within 6 months of receipt of the NoA.
BEAD in the news:
- PRESS RELEASE: Statement by Assistant Secretary Roth on NTIA’s Approach to the Use of the $21 Billion BEAD Savings, Broadband USA
- OBD Executive Director Bree Maki had a featured comment in NTIA Announces Delay on Non-Deployment Fund Guidance, “As the [NTIA] works toward finalizing its guidance on the use of non-deployment funds, we remain optimistic that the feedback provided by states will be thoughtfully considered. By allowing each state to determine the most effective use of these resources based on their unique needs and priorities, NTIA can empower states to maximize the benefits and ensure these funds create meaningful, lasting impact.”
- NTIA BEAD non-deployment listening session analysis, Kaptivate
- Minnesota’s Fiber Companies are Consolidating as Broadband Expands, Twin Cities Business
- Uncertainty and concerns mounts for BEAD providers in Minnesota, Broadband Communities
For a niche crowd, but sounds like a great resource…
Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center April 7, 2026 webinar session Digital Navigation and TAPs: Tools and Partnerships for Increasing Healthcare Access. Join us from 1PM-2PM (EST) as they host myself, Jaleen Johnson with the Northwest Regional TRC, and Abi Waldrupe of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance as they share about Digital Health Navigation. Highlighting tools and relationships that will benefit your organization as you seek to increase access to healthcare within your communities. 1 (one) Category I CEU will be made eligible for this session for Ohio and Indiana partners who attend.
Register here, if you are interested in attending.
I am going to try to at least track the bills that get introduced that are at all related to broadband and/or broadband use. I may not follow all closely. Click the bill number for more info and updates:
Trying to fight back tears, Catherine and Hunter Muklebust say their son could still be alive if cameras caught the woman charged with his murder committing a prior alleged act of abuse at a daycare. …
“Video footage would have answered all of the questions we had,” Catherine Muklebust testified before the House Children Families and Finance Policy Committee Tuesday.
Barring a confession, Muklebust’s alleged killer would have never been caught in this case, said Rep. Nolan West (R-Blaine).
He sponsors “Harvey’s Law” that would require the installation of cameras in infant and toddler rooms and the retention of footage for 28 days at any Minnesota daycare center that receives state funding.
No action was taken.
This seems tangential to broadband but one of the uses that was mentioned when the Office of Broadband Development (OBD) spoke to MN Senate Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development on February 18 and to the MN House Committee on Agriculture Finance and Policy on February 23 was how access to broadband would help childcare providers access online required professional development. It seems like connected cameras would be another reason to make sure childcare facilities have broadband.
HF XXXX (West) Informational Hearing Only: Requiring cameras in licensed child care centers that receive state funding, titled “Harvey’s Law”.
I am going to try to at least track the bills that get introduced that are at all related to broadband and/or broadband use. I may not follow all closely. Click the bill number for more info and updates:
HF3793 (Pursell) Certain users of large amounts of groundwater required to apply for their own water-use permit instead of modifying an existing municipal permit.
The House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee will hear more March 10 (2026) at 1pm. Online viewing available: Channel: HTV1.
Earlier today, Senator Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, legislators, and supporters held a press conference to introduce bills intended to regulate artificial intelligence for consumer protection and public safety. It’s a great peek at what might be happening later today and for the rest of the session. Reporters asked questions that many of us might ask – such as what does that mean in the real world.
Here are some of the sessions that will be happening today. You can watch in real time or view the archive later:
S.F. 1120 Maye QuadeGovernment entities prohibition from requesting or obtaining reverse-location information
ACLU-MN-Letter-of-Support-Reverse-Warrants-SF-1120.pdf
BCA-Opposition-to-SF1120-3-5-26-Signed-3-5-26.pdf
MCPA-_SF1120_Letter-of-Opposition.pdf
Reverse-Warrant-Flyer-SF-1120.pdf
20260302134430681_25-112-Google-Chatrie-Amicusfinal.pdf
S.F. 1856 Maye QuadeUsage of artificial intelligence in the utilization review process prohibition provision
S.F. 1857 Maye QuadeMinor access to chatbots for recreational purposes by persons prohibition provision
MFC-SF1857-Pro-Senate-Judiciary-and-Public-Safety-Committee-03092026.pdf
S.F. 1886 Maye QuadeIndividual communication with artificial intelligence disclosure requirement provision
RMAI-Memorandum-in-Opposition-to-SF1886-03-09-2026.pdf
S.F. 3098 Maye QuadeProhibition from using artificial intelligence to dynamically set product prices
MN for Open Government AI Regulation Presentation
Grand Rapids Herald Review reports…
In just a few years, telehealth has become a central part of how health care is delivered in the United States – and it is likely to continue to play an important role in the health care system.
Before 2020, patients rarely got their health care virtually. About 1.7% of Medicare patients – 910,490 people – used telehealth for medical appointments in 2019. These were mostly patients in rural areas, and only certain clinics were authorized to offer it.
But during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government expanded telehealth coverage for people insured by Medicare to make it easier for patients to maintain access to health care. Many insurance companies did, too. The number of Medicare patients using telehealth services jumped to 53% in 2021, corresponding to nearly 28.3 million telehealth users at the peak of the pandemic.
While telehealth appointments overall – not just for people with Medicare coverage – have dropped since the height of the pandemic, they remain much higher than pre-pandemic levels, according to data from Epic, the largest electronic medical record company in the U.S.
Legislation passed in 2021 made Medicare’s coverage of telehealth permanent for mental health services. But coverage for accessing care via telehealth for other types of health conditions, such as respiratory infections or diabetes, is set to expire in 2027 – and policymakers are still deciding whether to continue it.
Our findings underscore the important role that telehealth has come to serve in enabling older adults to access health care for all types of acute and chronic medical conditions. Emerging research suggests it can help them see their providers more consistently without compromising the quality of care compared to in-person visits.
Limiting access to telehealth services could reverse recent gains in access for older adults – particularly for patients who have geographical or health limitations that can make getting to in-person appointments challenging.
I posted this news earlier this week, but always interesting to get another local perspective, this time from Lakeland Media (KWLM 96.3fm in Willmar)…
The Willmar City Council Monday awarded a bid of 8.2 million dollars to Kramer Service Group of Wisconsin to do Phase One of the Willmar Connect broadband project. 10 companies initially bid on the project last December…the lowest bidder withdrew their bid after realizing they left out certain costs, and the second lowest bidder, NC3 of Clearbrook Minnesota, had their bid rescinded after they informed the city they no longer had the financial and operational capacity to do the project. So Kramer, which was the third lowest bidder, gets the job. Willmar Operations Director Kyle Box says Kramer has experience in doing this type of work.
Kramer’s bid is slightly higher than the engineer’s estimate of 8 million dollars, but Box says that estimate will likely go down because the industrial park portion of the project may be financed through a grant. Next month they will sell bonds in the amount of 9.2 million dollar.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) reports…
Statement by Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth regarding the use of the $21 billion savings achieved in the BEAD program through the Trump Administration’s Benefit of the Bargain reforms:
“For the past few weeks, NTIA has received an extraordinary level of interest and feedback concerning our approach to using the $21 billion in savings achieved through the Benefit of the Bargain reforms to the BEAD program.
“We appreciate the voluminous and passionate responses to our call for input. Across three listening sessions, we had more than 1,700 attendees and 175 speakers participate. We also received 188 written comments from industry, state officials, and broadband advocates.
“Participants and commenters have raised interesting ideas, including funding permitting improvements and workforce-related training, enhancing public safety communications, and using some of the funding to ‘clean up’ any remaining unserved locations.
“Next week, state officials from around the country will travel to Washington, D.C., to participate in our State Broadband Leaders Network Winter Summit. This conference presents a unique opportunity to engage directly with the states on how some of these ideas could be implemented to ensure we continue maximizing the value of the BEAD program for the American people.
“While our guidance was expected by next week, we are taking additional time to review the comments and finalize our approach to ensure these funds are spent as efficiently and responsibly as possible. American taxpayers work hard for their money and deserve nothing less from this Administration.”
To read about the feedback we’ve received from the public and industry, and common themes that have emerged from those discussions, click here.
Arvig is expanding its Twin Cities network footprint after finalizing an agreement to interconnect with a new data center currently under construction in Eagan, Minn.
Under a partnership with Centra, Arvig will lease co-location space and construct diverse fiber routes into the MSP1 data center, using the facility’s multiple entry points. This Tier III+ facility, engineered for low-latency connectivity and AI-ready infrastructure, is set to go online in the summer of 2026.
With this data center investment, Arvig establishes a strategic new point of presence (PoP) for its 18,500 route-mile network, which currently includes nearly 300 PoPs throughout the state. The Arvig network has diverse routes throughout the Twin Cities, including business-grade bandwidth of up to 400 Gigabits per second.
I am going to try to at least track the bills that get introduced that are at all related to broadband and/or broadband use. I may not follow all closely. Click the bill number for more info and updates:
That’s why he came to St. Paul to testify in favor of HF3296, a bill sponsored by Rep. Dawn Gillman (R-Dassel) that would allow utility sales of electricity to certain data centers to be excluded from the state’s definition of “gross annual retail energy sales,” and, thus, not required to meet the ECO plan’s annual energy savings goal of 1.5% for a cooperative or municipal utility.
On Thursday, the House Energy Finance and Policy Committee approved a delete-all amendment and laid the bill over for possible omnibus bill inclusion.
From the Office of Broadband Development…
Plan Ahead and Save the Date
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.
The summit will start at 8:30 a.m. with registration, coffee, and a light breakfast, and conclude at 4:00 p.m. There will be an opening and welcome from DEED and State leadership, a networking lunch, and breakout sessions on BEAD implementation, mapping, digital skills and security, permitting, and other key topics.
High-level Agenda (Central Time):
- 8:30 a.m.: Arrival and registration with coffee and light breakfast
- 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Main stage general sessions with opening welcome from DEED and State leadership
- 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.: Networking lunch and Governor’s Broadband Task Force monthly meeting
- 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Breakout sessions on key topics and initiatives
Registration will open in early spring. A $20 registration fee helps cover catering costs and ensures funds are used appropriately.
Full event details, registration, and the agenda will be shared soon. Mark your calendars for April 29!
Event center details
Connecting One Minnesota: 2026 Broadband Summit will be at the Heritage Center of Brooklyn Center (6155 Earle Brown Drive, Brooklyn Center, MN 55434).
Free parking will be available at the venue.
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.