SB278: Bill Text

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate BILL 278

April 5, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Marklein, Bernier, Felzkowski, Feyen and Stafsholt, cosponsored by Representatives Summerfield, Edming, Armstrong, Born, Plumer, Krug, Cabral-Guevara, Snyder, Callahan, Gundrum, Horlacher, Duchow, Wittke, Rozar, Kurtz, Vorpagel, Moses, Tranel, Swearingen, Zimmerman, Mursau, Tusler, Petryk, Oldenburg, Knodl, James and Jagler. Referred to Joint Committee on Finance.

SB278,1,2 An Act to create 196.504 (2g) and 196.504 (2r) of the statutes; relating to: the use of certain federal funds for broadband expansion grants.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Public utilities

Broadband expansion grants

The bill requires the governor to allocate $500,000,000 of the federal funds received by the state under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to make broadband expansion grants. Under current law, the Public Service Commission provides grants to eligible applicants for constructing broadband infrastructure in underserved areas. The bill also requires the PSC to submit an annual report to the Joint Committee on Finance related to the broadband expansion grants awarded.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB278,1 Section 1. 196.504 (2g) of the statutes is created to read:

SB278,2,5 196.504 (2g) Of the moneys the governor accepts from the federal government under s. 16.54 pursuant to section 602 of the federal Social Security Act as amended by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, the governor shall allocate $500,000,000 for making broadband expansion grants under sub. (2). From the moneys allocated under this subsection, the commission shall award a total of $125,000,000 in broadband expansion grants under sub. (2) each calendar year beginning with 2021 and ending with 2024.

SB278,2 Section 2. 196.504 (2r) of the statutes is created to read:

SB278,2,13 196.504 (2r) Annually, no later than the September 1 following completion of the fiscal year, the commission shall submit a report to the joint committee on finance concerning the broadband expansion grants awarded under sub. (2) during the preceding fiscal year. The report shall list the criteria used for evaluating applications and awarding grants under sub. (2), the recipients of grants under sub. (2), and the commission's evaluations of the applications of grant recipients under sub. (2).

SB278,2,14 (End)