The Arlington Enterprise journalist Mark Ollig reports on current Minnesota broadband legislation…

The 2024 OBD report reveals that 89,000 households in Minnesota do not have access to the 100/20 mbps broadband standard.

Additionally, 143,000 households lack access to the older 25/3 mbps benchmark.

According to table three on page 17 of the report, while 99.57% of metro households meet the 100/20 mbps goal, only 91.61% of households in greater Minnesota do.

You can read the OBD report at bit.ly/4imuVSj.

The author takes a closer look at SF2889 (expand the Office of Broadband Development…

The FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ended June 1, 2024, affecting 245,000 low-income households in Minnesota.

The loss of congressional ACP funding has further limited broadband access for Minnesota’s low-income residents, seniors, rural communities, and indigenous tribal nations.

Introduced March 1, 2024, and currently under legislative review, Minnesota Senate File (SF) 2889 aims to modernize broadband development and promote digital equity throughout the state.

The SF 2889 bill stresses digital inclusion and proposes renaming the state’s broadband office to the ‘Office of Broadband Development and Digital Equity,’ dedicating this office to coordinating these efforts.

Here’s a closer look at what SF 2889 outlines.

Section one amends data privacy rules concerning internet service provider data shared with the state’s broadband office and officially renames that office as the Office of Broadband Development and Digital Equity.

Section two reinforces this by amending the office’s primary statute to reflect the new name and its expanded focus on broadband adoption and digital inclusion for underserved populations.
It also details the office’s role in statewide planning and adds requirements for enrollment data and equity recommendations in annual reports.

Section three makes a conforming amendment to section 116J.391, subdivision one, for consistency with the office’s updated name and focus.

Section four updates key Broadband Grant Program definitions, importantly setting the “underserved areas” benchmark at the modern 100 mbps download / 20 mbps upload standard and defining qualifying wireless services as “served.”

Section five amends section 116J.395 to revise the priorities of the border-to-border Broadband Grant Program.

It requires that at least 50% of its funds go to projects meeting workforce standards, thereby linking broadband expansion with job creation.

Section seven introduces a grant program for apartments and manufactured home parks, focused on improving broadband access and digital equity.

The program finances infrastructure upgrades, affordable services, and digital inclusion initiatives, targeting high-need areas.

Section eight amends the existing statute (116J.397) for broadband data collection and mapping.

The office continues its ongoing work under this statute, which has been required since 2016.

This includes independent data collection and verification, analysis for investment planning, adoption surveys, and the production of annual public service availability maps, which are due each April 15.

Section nine establishes clear statewide goals for 2028: 95% of households should have broadband, 70% of eligible households should use service discounts, and 95% should own a computer or similar device for accessing the internet.

Minnesota SF 2889 has been referred to the Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee.

You can follow its progress and read the full text of the bill on the Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes: bit.ly/3Rh43rU.

The $42.45 billion federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and including funding for broadband internet to states, faces potential rollout delays nationwide.

And discusses the bill to address broadband installer training and certification…

Minnesota Statute 326B.198 establishes the Safety-Qualified Underground Telecommunications Installer Certification Program through the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) to enhance safety.

Installers must complete 40 hours of training, pass an exam, and take a four-hour refresher every three years.

At least two certified installers are required for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) of fiber optic cables.

The certification starts July 1 of this year in the Twin Cities and Jan. 1, 2026, for the rest of Minnesota, with DLI-approved training programs.

You can read Minnesota Statute 326B.198 at bit.ly/3GajJL6.