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The bill adds a procedure by which an ISP in or near to a project area proposed
in an application for a broadband expansion grant may challenge the awarding of
that grant. An ISP may challenge the grant if that ISP currently provides broadband
service to that area at minimum download and upload speeds or if that ISP commits
to completing construction of broadband infrastructure and providing broadband
service to that area at minimum download and upload speeds no later than 24
months after the date grants are made for the grant cycle under which the
application was submitted. The bill requires PSC to evaluate the challenge and
prohibits it from funding the project if it determines as credible the challenging ISP's
commitment to provide broadband service that meets the requirements.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB365-SSA1,1 1Section 1 . 24.40 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB365-SSA1,2,62 24.40 (3) Notwithstanding s. 28.02 (5) or any contrary rule promulgated by the
3department, if the department grants an easement under sub. (1r) for the
4construction of broadband infrastructure in underserved unserved areas, as
5designated under s. 196.504 (2) (d) (e), the department may not require any appraisal
6or the payment of any fee to grant the easement.
SB365-SSA1,2 7Section 2 . 86.16 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB365-SSA1,3,28 86.16 (6) If the department consents under sub. (1) to the construction of
9broadband infrastructure in underserved unserved areas, as designated under s.
10196.504 (2) (d) (e), the department may not charge any fee for the initial issuance of

1any permit necessary to construct broadband infrastructure along, across, or within
2the limits of a highway.
SB365-SSA1,3 3Section 3 . 196.504 (1) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
SB365-SSA1,4 4Section 4 . 196.504 (1) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB365-SSA1,3,105 196.504 (1) (c) 2. Provided at actual speeds of at least 20 percent of the upload
6and download speeds for advanced telecommunications capability as designated by
7the federal communications commission in its inquiries regarding advanced
8telecommunications capability under 47 USC 1302 (b)
download speeds of 100
9megabits per second or greater and upload speeds of 20 megabits per second or
10greater
.
SB365-SSA1,5 11Section 5 . 196.504 (2) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 2021 Wisconsin Act 58,
12is amended to read:
SB365-SSA1,3,1713 196.504 (2) (a) To make broadband expansion grants to eligible applicants for
14the purpose of constructing broadband infrastructure in underserved unserved
15areas designated under par. (d) (e). Grants awarded under this section shall be paid
16from the appropriations under ss. 20.155 (3) (r) and (rm) and 20.866 (2) (z), in the
17amount allocated under s. 20.866 (2) (z) 5.
SB365-SSA1,6 18Section 6 . 196.504 (2) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 196.504 (2) (c) 1. and
19amended to read:
SB365-SSA1,3,2120 196.504 (2) (c) 1. To establish criteria for evaluating applications and awarding
21grants under this section. The criteria shall prohibit do all of the following:
SB365-SSA1,3,24 22a. Prohibit grants that have the effect of subsidizing the expenses of a provider
23of telecommunications service, as defined in s. 182.017 (1g) (cq), or the monthly bills
24of customers of those providers. The criteria shall give
SB365-SSA1,4,9
1c. Give priority to projects that include at least 50 percent matching funds,; that
2involve public-private partnerships, that affect unserved areas,; that are scalable,;
3that promote economic development,; that will not result in delaying the provision
4of broadband service to areas neighboring areas to be served by the proposed project,
5or
; that affect a large geographic area or a large number of underserved unserved
6individuals or communities; or that are capable of offering service with either
7combined download speeds and upload speeds of 900 megabits per second or greater,
8or download speeds of 450 megabits per second or greater and upload speeds of 450
9megabits per second or greater
.
SB365-SSA1,4,18 102. When evaluating grant applications under this section, the commission shall
11consider the degree to which the proposed projects would duplicate existing
12broadband infrastructure, information about the presence of which is provided to the
13commission by the applicant or another person within a time period designated by
14the commission; the impacts of the proposed projects on the ability of individuals to
15access health care services from home and the cost of those services; and the impacts
16of the proposed projects on the ability of students to access educational opportunities
17from home; and all federal broadband grant program project areas related to the
18proposed project
.
SB365-SSA1,7 19Section 7 . 196.504 (2) (c) 1. b. of the statutes is created to read:
SB365-SSA1,4,2020 196.504 (2) (c) 1. b. Require that projects serve unserved areas.
SB365-SSA1,8 21Section 8 . 196.504 (2) (d) of the statutes is repealed.
SB365-SSA1,9 22Section 9 . 196.504 (2t) of the statutes is created to read:
SB365-SSA1,5,223 196.504 (2t) (a) Within 3 days of the close of the broadband expansion grant
24application process, the commission shall publish on its Internet site the proposed

1geographic broadband service area and the proposed broadband service speeds for
2each application for a broadband expansion grant submitted.
SB365-SSA1,5,63 (b) An Internet service provider in or proximate to the proposed project area
4may, within 30 days of publication of the information under par. (a), submit in writing
5to the commission a challenge to an application. A challenge must contain
6information demonstrating one of the following:
SB365-SSA1,5,97 1. The provider currently provides broadband service to the proposed project
8area at download speeds of 100 megabits per second or greater and upload speeds of
920 megabits per second or greater.
SB365-SSA1,5,1610 2. The provider commits to complete construction of broadband infrastructure
11and to provide broadband service in the proposed project area at speeds equal to or
12greater than the speeds described under subd. 1. no later than 24 months after the
13date broadband expansion grants are made for the grant cycle under which the
14application was submitted. The provider shall submit documentation showing this
15commitment, including engineering plans, invoices related to project materials,
16permit applications, and a project timeline.
SB365-SSA1,5,2117 (c) The commission shall evaluate the information submitted in an Internet
18service provider's challenge under this subsection, and is prohibited from funding a
19project if the commission determines that the challenger's commitment to provide
20broadband service that meets the requirements of par. (b) in the proposed project
21area is credible.
SB365-SSA1,6,622 (d) If the commission denies funding to an applicant as a result of an Internet
23service provider's challenge made under this subsection, and the Internet service
24provider does not fulfill its commitment to provide broadband service in the project
25area, the commission is prohibited from denying funding to an applicant as a result

1of a challenge by the same Internet service provider for the following 2 grant cycles,
2unless the commission determines that the Internet service provider's failure to
3fulfill its commitment was the result of factors beyond the Internet service provider's
4control. The commission shall give priority scoring treatment to an application
5targeting a grant project area that remains unserved as a result of a successful
6challenge and an unfulfilled commitment.
SB365-SSA1,10 7Section 10 . 196.504 (3) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB365-SSA1,6,108 196.504 (3) (intro.) The commission shall encourage the development of
9broadband infrastructure in underserved unserved areas of the state and do all of the
10following:
SB365-SSA1,11 11Section 11 . Initial applicability.
SB365-SSA1,6,1412 (1) This act first applies to an application for a broadband expansion grant
13submitted pursuant to s. 196.504 during the grant application period that begins
14after March 17, 2022.
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