Expands EDA small business loan program to include certain broadband telecommunications service providers.

This bill expands New Jersey's small business loan program to include certified broadband telecommunications service providers operating in rural areas. It directly affects rural broadband providers (defined as entities certified by the Board of Public Utilities to offer high-speed internet with minimum speeds of 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload) serving communities with populations under 30,000 and density below 4,000 people per square mile. The key mechanism allows these providers to access loan funds for capital purchases, such as equipment and infrastructure, to expand broadband services. The change adds broadband providers to the existing list of eligible borrowers, which previously included dairy farmers and farming operations. The bill amends the eligibility criteria in the state's small business loan program statute.