New Mexico Broadband Legislation
HB 10 - HOUSE BILL 10
Connect New Mexico Act (Laws 2021, Ch. 120)
SB93 - SENATE BILL 93
Broadband Access and Expansion Act (Laws 2021, Chapter 123)
SB 377 - SENATE BILL 377
Broadband Appropriations - $110M (Laws 2021,Ch. 140, Section 17)
Broadband Appropriations to the Connect New Mexico Fund (FY2021-2026)
Connect New Mexico Act (Laws 2021, Ch. 120)
- Creates the Connect New Mexico Council
- Meet Monthly and four-year terms (staggered)
- Coordinate state agency broadband programs/projects
- Evaluate, prioritize, and award grant proposals
- Adopt rules to establish a competitive grant program
- Develop a Digital Equity Analysis and Plan inclusive of local/state/tribal entities
- Address affordability, training, and education
- Identify state/federal/private sector programs to close the digital equity gap
- Progress Report due August 1, 2023, to be incorporated in the Statewide Broadband Plan by January 1, 2024
- Creates the non-reverting Connect New Mexico Fund (appropriations, gifts, grants, donations)
- Annual Report due October 1st each year
- Increases amount of the PRC Rural Universal Services Fund to a minimum of $8M
SB93 - SENATE BILL 93
Broadband Access and Expansion Act (Laws 2021, Chapter 123)
- Creates the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion; administratively supported by the
Department of Information Technology (DoIT) - Office managed by a director appointed by the Governor
- Duties include
- Establish standards for quality of service (homes, businesses, public facilities)
- Maintain the online NM Broadband Map
- Create and maintain a repository for broadband data/information
- Develop a three-year statewide broadband plan (due January 1, 2022)
- – Update plan annually and report to the Governor
- – Plan to be inclusive of state/local agencies, tribes, and public education input
- Office required to
- – Provide technical and planning assistance with a focus on regional planning
- – Form an advisory committee inclusive of state/local/tribal entities and the public
- – Identify federal and other funding sources
- State agencies required to coordinate with the Office
SB 377 - SENATE BILL 377
Broadband Appropriations - $110M (Laws 2021,Ch. 140, Section 17)
Broadband Appropriations to the Connect New Mexico Fund (FY2021-2026)
- Plan, design, engineer, construct, and purchase, and equip broadband infrastructure ($70M)
- No more than seven million ($7M) to be spent contingent on submittal of an expenditure plan
- Development of a Broadband Office ($500K)
- Grants to local governments, tribes, electric/telephone cooperatives for planning/grant writing support ($5M)
- No more than $500K be spent contingent on submittal of an expenditure plan
- Plan, design, engineer, construct, purchase, equip broadband infrastructure for schools ($25M) from the Public-School Reform Fund
- No more than $2.5M to be spent contingent on submittal of an expenditure plan
- Appropriation of $10M to Economic Development Department to support “Emerging Broadband Technology”
Federal Policy and Legislation
Federal Policy and Legislation: https://www.digitalinclusion.org/policy/