The Minneapolis Star Tribune today features a big story on the need for better broadband in much of rural Minnesota. They opened with a story about a business that recently moved from Minnesota to Wisconsin for better broadband…

“It never dawned on me that it would be such a detriment to my business,” Jelinski said of inadequate broadband access. “There’s no reason for it.”

A recent switch to a DSL connection helped, but Jelinski worried about her business’ future. The family moved to De Pere, Wis., last week — after Jelinski confirmed that it has great broadband access.

Some predictions on future federal support for broadband

“The outlook [for rural broadband improvements] is not positive” under Trump, said Milda Hedblom, a lawyer, broadband advocate and digital studies professor at Augsburg College in Minneapolis.

Hedblom said she’s worried that the president, a former businessman, will naturally favor big private companies over municipalities and local collaborations. That could mean he’ll steer federal broadband funds to big providers that are averse to expensive rural projects, she said, since the return on investment isn’t as quick or as large

Some details on federal funding..

Trump’s budget, released May 23, proposes $1 billion in cuts from U.S. Department of Agriculture rural development spending — including some funding for broadband infrastructure. Instead, he wants $160 million in new rural economic infrastructure grants that would include broadband money — along with many other projects. Half the money would be set aside for Appalachia; broadband’s share was not specified.

Trump also plans a $1 trillion infrastructure package— which he is expected to detail on Monday — and his budget lists broadband among priorities that include “surface transportation, airports, waterways, ports, drinking and waste water.” It added that “federal funding for infrastructure is not the solution,” however, and promised to “fix underlying incentives, procedures and policies.” Exactly what that means is unclear.

Some advice…

Some rural broadband advocates say the infrastructure initiative could be the best bet for future federal grants.

“Our message to communities is get ready. Those with civic infrastructure [in place] to respond to opportunities … are going to be in the best position to benefit,” said Bernadine Joselyn, public policy and engagement director for the Grand Rapids, Minn.-based Blandin Foundation.

And some new approaches…

Uncertainty about government funds has prompted new approaches to leveraging grants and raising awareness:

• Member-owned rural electric cooperatives are installing broadband to fill voids left by mainstream providers.

About 100 of the nation’s 900 co-ops “are involved in some way,” said Martha Duggan, who handles regulatory issues for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. “We’re very local … and very focused on economic development.” She hopes funding will be included in Trump’s infrastructure plan and the 2018 farm bill.

• The Minnesota Farmers Union called broadband “an essential utility” in an April report to state officials. Gary Wertish, the group’s president, said it’s time for a broad national initiative. “The state can’t do it on its own,” he said.

“We’re trying to compete in a global economy and if we don’t have access to broadband, we’re left behind again,” Wertish said.

• Communities are pooling resources and clout. Six southwestern Minnesota counties (Chippewa, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone and Yellow Medicine) are working with the Southwest Regional Development Commission and in May received a $123,800 Blandin Foundation grant to study ways to fill broadband gaps.

IT World reports…

Officials from the VA recently made their way to Capitol Hill to appeal for legislation that would grant the agency greater flexibility in providing remote health services to the military community. In particular, the VA is putting a “special emphasis” on improving the delivery of health services for veterans in rural and “underserved” areas, according to Dr. Kevin Galpin, executive director of telehealth services at the Veterans Health Administration.

They are looking for a solution that could open a door to similar solutions where policy is hindering technology use…

Galpin’s primary request is relatively straightforward. He is asking Congress to expressly affirm that VA providers are authorized to deliver telehealth services across state lines and to patients in their homes.

“This authority will remove barriers that currently exist between a national VA clinical expert and a veteran that needs their service,” he said.

They have had success with telemedicine and want to continue to grow…

The VA has three broad categories of telehealth services, comprised of clinical telehealth, home telehealth, and “store and forward” services, where a device captures an image and relays it along to be examined by a specialist at a later time.

The VA offers telehealth services in more than 50 clinical specialties. The VA reports that more than 307,000 veterans received care through a clinical telehealth encounter last year, and, at present, more than 87,000 are using home telehealth services.

In an interesting tangent, the Minnesota House is looking at the definition of telemedicine…

HF1314/ SF1353*, sponsored by Rep. Matt Dean (R-Dellwood) and Sen. Julie Rosen (R-Vernon Center), would cover professional standards both regarding practice and conduct and services that can be provided via telemedicine including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, education and care management.

The bill would also clarify that “telemedicine” refers to real-time, two-way interactive audio, visual and audio-visual communications — like secure video conferencing, said Rep. Nick Zerwas (R-Elk River).

A telephone conversation, email or fax between licensed health care providers would not count as telemedicine consultation or service.

The Minnesota definition seems more limiting that the federal as I’m not sure where the VA’s idea of home telehealth and store and forward fit into the local version of telehealth as video conference. And it will be interesting to see how such differences get ironed out especially since one of the things the VA is requesting is authorization to deliver telehealth service across state lines.

I’m a little slow about posting this suggested bill  – (SF 1241 & HF 1421) to turn snow days into e-learning days. The St Cloud Times gave a nice description…

Minnesota lawmakers are considering legislation that could spell the end for snow days.

A House committee Thursday will discuss a bill that could replace up to five snow days each year with “e-learning days.” Students would get on a laptop or tablet at home and follow along with online lessons on school days that would otherwise have been canceled.

Like a snow day, parents would be alerted to the at-home learning day at least two hours before the start of school and teachers would be available throughout the day to answer students’ questions.

Minnesota lawmakers are considering legislation that could spell the end for snow days.

A House committee Thursday will discuss a bill that could replace up to five snow days each year with “e-learning days.” Students would get on a laptop or tablet at home and follow along with online lessons on school days that would otherwise have been canceled.

Like a snow day, parents would be alerted to the at-home learning day at least two hours before the start of school and teachers would be available throughout the day to answer students’ questions.

Looks like the bill has been referred to another committee (Education Innovation Policy in the House and E-12 Policy in the Senate). I know Red Wing has been successful with this push. It would help keep kids on track and minimize the nightmare of planning for snow days. I have three kids in three schools and each handles differently snow days and making up for or using snow days at the end of the year. It’s a little bit of a parental nightmare – worse for the schools I imagine. But I don’t think this conversation (never mind conversion) can happen until every student in the state has access to adequate broadband and a computer or device to use it.

Although cards on the table – I grew up in Minnesota. I remember the pure joy of waking up to snow, listening to WCCO and cheering when my school was called off. And even when it was/is my kids school that’s called off, there’s still a little residual joy in the house.