{"id":39,"date":"2026-04-13T15:27:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T13:27:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/the-role-of-state-broadband-policy-in-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T15:27:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T13:27:04","slug":"the-role-of-state-broadband-policy-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/the-role-of-state-broadband-policy-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The role of state broadband policy in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"sharing\">\n<div class=\"social-icons\">\n<div class=\"simplesocialbuttons simplesocial-round-icon simplesocialbuttons_inline simplesocialbuttons-align-right simplesocialbuttons-inline-no-animation\">\n<button class=\"simplesocial-fb-share\"  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"  aria-label=\"Facebook Share\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/politics-and-government\/broadband-policy-2026\/\" onClick=\"javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\"><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">Facebook <\/span> <\/button><br \/>\n<button class=\"simplesocial-twt-share\"  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"  aria-label=\"Twitter Share\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=The+role+of+state+broadband+policy+in+2026&#038;url=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/politics-and-government\/broadband-policy-2026\/\" onClick=\"javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\"><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">Twitter<\/span> <\/button><br \/>\n<button  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"  class=\"simplesocial-linkedin-share\" aria-label=\"LinkedIn Share\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/politics-and-government\/broadband-policy-2026\/\" onClick=\"javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\"><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/button><br \/>\n<button class=\"simplesocial-reddit-share\"  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"  aria-label=\"Reddit Share\" data-href=\"https:\/\/reddit.com\/submit?url=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/politics-and-government\/broadband-policy-2026\/&#038;title=The+role+of+state+broadband+policy+in+2026\" onClick=\"javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\" ><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">Reddit<\/span> <\/button><br \/>\n<button onClick=\"javascript:window.location.href = this.dataset.href;return false;\" class=\"simplesocial-email-share\" aria-label=\"Share through Email\"  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"   data-href=\"mailto:?subject=The role of state broadband policy in 2026&#038;body=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/politics-and-government\/broadband-policy-2026\/\"><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">Email<\/span><\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-ast-global-color-4-background-color has-background\">About 78% of Americans subscribe to broadband internet at home, while 16% only access the internet on their phones, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/internet\/fact-sheet\/internet-broadband\/\">according to polling from Pew Research Center<\/a>. Americans living in <a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/economics\/rural-broadband-coronavirus\/\">rural areas<\/a> are especially likely to lack broadband. This piece will help you understand what\u2019s holding back <a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/economics\/rural-development-farm-bill\/\">broadband deployment<\/a> and what states are doing to improve access. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/research-and-analysis\/articles\/2026\/03\/10\/the-role-of-state-broadband-policy-in-2026\">It was originally published by The Pew Charitable Trusts<\/a> and is edited here for style. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The federal $42 billion&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/research-and-analysis\/articles\/2025\/05\/05\/broadband-expansion-requires-federal-and-state-coordination\">Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment<\/a>&nbsp;program aims to expand high-speed internet access nationwide &#8212; and it dominated broadband policy headlines in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>But state legislatures were also active in their efforts to bridge the digital divide.<\/p>\n<p>Combined, states&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/technology-and-communication\/broadband-legislation-database\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">passed over 160 broadband-related bills and resolutions<\/a>&nbsp;last year. These included regulatory changes, expanding the authority of their broadband offices and addressing internet affordability for low-income customers.<\/p>\n<p>As states prepare to deploy BEAD projects and navigate&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/article\/community-broadband-networks\/experts-withholding-bead-funds-because-of-state-affordability-laws-on-shaky-legal-ground\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new uncertainties<\/a>&nbsp;from federal policymakers &#8212; including the potential withholding of some funding from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/trump-signs-executive-order-ai-state-laws\/\">states that have passed certain regulations on&nbsp;artificial intelligence<\/a> &#8212; it will be increasingly important for states to balance administering federal funding while advancing their own priorities.<\/p>\n<p>Following the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.benton.org\/blog\/bead-six-months-later\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">changes<\/a>&nbsp;made to the BEAD program in June 2025 &#8212; shifting which locations are eligible for funding and the type of networks that can be awarded &#8212; state-funded programs may have an increasingly important role to play in complementing federal efforts to ensure that all communities are connected.<\/p>\n<p>Bills passed in 2025 provide early insight as to how state legislatures may consider managing these challenges in 2026 and beyond.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Broadband deployment barriers<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In the long preparation process for BEAD, a program authorized as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, state broadband offices identified&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/research-and-analysis\/articles\/2024\/04\/03\/states-work-to-address-barriers-to-broadband-expansion\">several barriers<\/a>&nbsp;that could prevent them from achieving the goals of the program on time and on budget.<\/p>\n<p>Two leading barriers emerged:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Federal, state, local and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/research-and-analysis\/issue-briefs\/2025\/03\/broadband-expansion-may-hinge-on-states-processes-for-attaching-lines-to-utility-poles\">private permitting<\/a>&nbsp;processes for constructing new high-speed internet networks.<\/li>\n<li>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/research-and-analysis\/issue-briefs\/2025\/10\/demand-for-broadband-workforce-expected-to-rise-to-meet-bead-requirements\">lack of trained workers<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Given that both challenges can involve federal, state, and local governments, they cannot be fully addressed at the state level. Still, there was progress last year.<\/p>\n<p>Legislatures in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.idaho.gov\/sessioninfo\/2025\/legislation\/H0180\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Idaho<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/ilga.gov\/legislation\/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2493&amp;GAID=18&amp;DocTypeID=SB&amp;LegId=162616&amp;SessionID=114&amp;GA=104\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Illinois<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/iga.in.gov\/legislative\/2025\/bills\/senate\/502\/details\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Indiana<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.psc.state.wv.us\/scripts\/orders\/ViewDocument.cfm?CaseActivityID=650503&amp;Source=Docket\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">West Virginia<\/a>&nbsp;updated their rules governing the broadband construction process to set new timelines and fee structures for permit applications.<\/p>\n<p>In&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/capitol.texas.gov\/BillLookup\/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&amp;Bill=SB1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apps.legislature.ky.gov\/record\/25rs\/sb25.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kentucky<\/a>, state legislatures approved funding for new broadband workforce training programs. The legislators in Texas put $5 million toward an apprenticeship program to reimburse participating broadband utility engineering and construction companies. In Kentucky, legislators earmarked $6 million for hiring workers to replace utility poles and manage permits, funding originally passed in 2024 and carried forward in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>As states prepare for their BEAD projects, they\u2019re also administering their own state-funded programs, including those aimed at filling gaps in federal policies, and targeting their own deployment priorities. Pew\u2019s analysis of the 2025 state legislative sessions found that 26 states allocated a combined $1.3 billion to a variety of broadband programs, including new or upgraded networks for homes, small businesses, schools, libraries and other government buildings.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/budget.lis.virginia.gov\/get\/budget\/5130\/HB1600\/1080188.PDF\">Virginia<\/a> appropriated&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/budget.lis.virginia.gov\/get\/budget\/5130\/HB1600\/1080188.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$50 million<\/a>&nbsp;in 2025 to the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative, which has awarded broadband grants since 2017. The 2025 allocation commits funding for new deployment projects administered by the initiative, as well as to accelerate deployment of projects funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which must be completed by the end of 2026. The legislature earmarked $30 million of these funds for additional construction costs, such as permitting fees, for projects that may be at risk of missing the 2026 project deadline.<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/deed\/programs-services\/broadband\/grant-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Minnesota<\/a>&nbsp;state legislature also approved $50 million for deployment grants in 2025. Minnesota has operated a state broadband expansion program since 2014 and the state has awarded&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/deed\/newscenter\/press-releases\/?id=1045-648734\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">over $400 million,<\/a>&nbsp;funding broadband connections to nearly 120,000 homes and businesses.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike the federal programs that states administer, state-level programs can be designed to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/research-and-analysis\/speeches-and-testimony\/2023\/03\/23\/how-states-ensure-broadband-funds-go-where-theyre-most-needed\">address specific priorities or needs<\/a>&nbsp;in a given state or community, such as increasing market competition among internet service providers in certain areas or funding the deployment of networks capable of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/research-and-analysis\/articles\/2026\/03\/10\/-\/media\/assets\/2023\/06\/un--and-underserved-definitions-ta-memo-pdf.pdf\">reaching speeds<\/a>&nbsp;higher than the minimum federal standards.<\/p>\n<p>For example, under Mississippi\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/da.mdah.ms.gov\/series\/sos\/s0034\/s0034-2023\/detail\/1049469\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Broadband Expansion and Accessibility <\/a>program, the state statute defines communities that have access to service only from satellite providers or mobile wireless networks as \u201ccritical need areas\u201d and therefore eligible for project funding.<\/p>\n<p>Some states, including&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpuc.ca.gov\/industries-and-topics\/internet-and-phone\/california-advanced-services-fund\/casf-line-extension-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">California<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.maineconnectivity.org\/reach-me\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maine<\/a>, also used their own funding to cover the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/research-and-analysis\/issue-briefs\/2023\/06\/how-8-states-are-using-line-extension-programs-to-connect-unserved-residents-to-broadband\">final costs<\/a>&nbsp;of connecting homes to existing networks, frequently referred to as \u201cline extensions.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>State broadband office responsibilities<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>As state broadband offices continue to administer federal and state funding, their functional capacity and authority are key factors in their ability to successfully administer these complex programs.<\/p>\n<p>In 2025, 13 states dedicated new administrative funding for their broadband offices, charging them with new responsibilities such as collecting data from internet providers on subscriptions and service areas,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.la.gov\/legis\/BillInfo.aspx?s=25RS&amp;b=HR327\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">publicly reporting<\/a> on the progress being made by their programs, and offering enhanced resources to support network construction.<\/p>\n<p>For example, a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/leg.colorado.gov\/bills\/sb25-031\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new law in Colorado<\/a>&nbsp;requires the state\u2019s broadband office to expand its&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/broadband.colorado.gov\/funding\/technical-assistance-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">technical assistance<\/a>&nbsp;offerings to help internet providers to apply for and manage grants, including resources for the deployment of new wireless services.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Broadband affordability<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The bulk of federal funding in recent years has focused on building networks to reach communities without access to high-speed internet service.<\/p>\n<p>However, affordability of service remains&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/research-and-analysis\/articles\/2024\/10\/04\/every-state-identifies-broadband-affordability-as-primary-barrier-to-closing-digital-divide\">a barrier<\/a>&nbsp;to closing the digital divide &#8212; high costs of monthly service can prevent a household from subscribing or staying connected.<\/p>\n<p>These factors, referred to as \u201cadoption rates\u201d and \u201csubscriber churn,\u201d can also determine if providers&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC11156397\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deliver new or upgraded service<\/a>&nbsp;in higher-cost communities. In 2025, several state legislatures took steps to address this challenge.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/olis.oregonlegislature.gov\/liz\/2025R1\/Measures\/Overview\/HB3148\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oregon<\/a>&nbsp;passed legislation allowing the Oregon Public Utility Commission to increase the support offered to low-income customers through its state Lifeline program. At the federal level, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcc.gov\/lifeline-consumers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lifeline program<\/a>&nbsp;offers a $9.25 monthly discount on phone and internet bills for eligible low-income households.<\/p>\n<p>Under the Oregon bill, eligible households there can receive an additional broadband discount of up to $24.95 per month, or $49.95 on Tribal lands &#8212; and, for the first time, receive a $100 discount when buying a computer.<\/p>\n<p>In February 2026, two other states adopted similar policies: California launched a new&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.californialifeline.com\/en\/faq?faq=9-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">home broadband pilot<\/a>&nbsp;and New Mexico passed its&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/broadbandbreakfast.com\/new-mexico-senate-bill-would-fund-10m-broadband-subsidy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Low-Income Telecommunications Assistance Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Based on Pew\u2019s analysis, there are now nine states that increase the discount their residents can receive from the federal Lifeline program on internet services.<\/p>\n<p>Connecticut also instituted new affordability requirements for providers. Passed in June 2025, its legislation requires providers that contract with the state to offer a low-cost plan of $40 per month or less to eligible households. The requirement will take effect on Oct. 1 this year.<\/p>\n<p>In January 2025, a similar law went into effect in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/broadband.ny.gov\/consumer-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New York<\/a>, which requires providers serving more than 20,000 customers throughout the state to offer service at $15 or $20 per month. Prices are based on minimum speeds and available to low-income and other qualified households.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Looking ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Several state legislatures are actively working on broadband issues in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>These include bills&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/communitynetworks.org\/content\/maryland-lawmakers-advance-broadband-affordability-bill-despite-federal-pushback\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">introduced in Maryland<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ilga.gov\/Legislation\/BillStatus\/FullText?GAID=18&amp;DocNum=3612&amp;DocTypeID=SB&amp;LegId=166707&amp;SessionID=114\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Illinois<\/a>&nbsp;to address affordability; proposals to change the regulatory landscape for providers in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/mountainstatespotlight.org\/2026\/01\/27\/psc-internet-explain-lawmakers-utility\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">West Virginia<\/a>; and an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/house.mo.gov\/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2886&amp;year=2026&amp;code=R\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">extension<\/a>&nbsp;of Missouri\u2019s broadband program, which is set to sunset in 2027.<\/p>\n<p>States are also already weighing bills that could alleviate future challenges for their BEAD projects, including a bill in Kansas adjusting the process for when broadband projects&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kslegislature.org\/li\/b2025_26\/measures\/sb439\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">intersect with railroad crossings<\/a>&nbsp;and a bill in New York on how&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/nyassembly.gov\/leg\/?bn=A9435&amp;term=2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">utility poles<\/a>&nbsp;are managed.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/politics-and-government\/broadband-policy-2026\/\">The role of state broadband policy in 2026<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\">The Journalist&#039;s Resource<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\tA project of Harvard Kennedy School&#8217;s Shorenstein Center, The Journalist\u2019s Resource curates, summarizes and contextualizes high-quality research on newsy public policy topics. Supported by generous grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation, Lumina Foundation, and individual contributors.<\/p>\n<p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/donate-journalists-resource\/\" target=\"_blank\">How to make a donation to The Journalist\u2019s Resource<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/politics-and-government\/broadband-policy-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\">Link to The role of state broadband policy in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit Email About 78% of Americans subscribe to broadband internet at home, while 16% only access the internet on their phones, according to polling from Pew Research Center. Americans living in rural areas are especially likely to lack broadband. This piece will help you understand what\u2019s holding back broadband deployment and what &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3],"class_list":["type-post","category-news","tag-journalist-resource","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}