Bill Text: NJ A5156 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Appropriates $50 million to BPU from federal funds for reimbursing broadband telecommunications service providers for broadband infrastructure expansion to rural areas in State.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-12-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee [A5156 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A5156-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman HAROLD "HAL" J. WIRTHS
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Appropriates $50 million to BPU from federal funds for reimbursing broadband telecommunications service providers for broadband infrastructure expansion to rural areas in State.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning broadband infrastructure expansion to rural areas in this State, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Public Utilities a sum of $50 million from a portion of those federal block grant funds allocated to the State from the federal "Coronavirus Relief Fund," established pursuant to the federal "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act," Pub.L.116-136, or from any other federal funds allocated to the State pursuant to law, for use by the board to reimburse up to 50 percent of project costs related to broadband infrastructure expansion made by a broadband telecommunications service provider to a rural area in this State. A broadband telecommunications service provider may submit an application to the board, in a form and manner determined by the board, for reimbursement pursuant to this section.
b. For the purposes of this act:
"Board" means the Board of Public Utilities or any successor agency.
"Broadband telecommunications infrastructure" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2007, c.191 (C.40:9D-1).
"Broadband telecommunications service" means any telecommunications service used for the purpose of offering high speed, switched, broadband wireline or wireless telecommunications capability that enables users to send and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics, or video telecommunications through the Internet and using any technology and with data transfer speeds of at least 25 megabits per second download and at least three megabits per second upload.
"Broadband telecommunications service provider" means a person, company, corporation, unincorporated association, partnership, or professional corporation which is certified by the board to offer broadband telecommunications service directly to the public, or to classes of users as to be effectively available directly to the public, regardless of the facilities used.
"Rural area" means any area included within the boundaries of any municipality that has a population of 30,000 inhabitants or less and a population density less than 4,000 persons per square mile, according to the latest federal decennial census.
2. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill appropriates $50 million from a portion of the federal block grant funds allocated to the State from the federal "Coronavirus Relief Fund," or other federal funds allocated to the State pursuant to law, to the Board of Public Utilities (board) for use by the board to reimburse up to 50 percent of project costs related to broadband infrastructure expansion made by a broadband telecommunications service provider to a rural area, as defined in the bill, in this State. A broadband telecommunications service provider may submit an application to the board, in a form and manner determined by the board, for reimbursement pursuant to the bill.
