Requires forty percent of broadband development grants be distributed to urban areas

HB 677 requires that 40% of all broadband development grants under state law be allocated to projects serving unserved or underserved areas in urban communities. This directly affects broadband providers and local governments applying for these grants, mandating a specific allocation for urban projects within the existing grant priority system. The bill builds on a scoring system that prioritizes applications based on factors like cost efficiency, service quality, and community support, while ensuring urban areas receive a fixed share of funding. It does not change eligibility for rural areas but explicitly sets aside a portion of grants for urban broadband expansion.