Requires highway projects that receive state funding to include the installation of broadband conduits suitable for fiber optic cables or wireless facilities that support broadband services; provides for access to such conduits on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis, for a charge not to exceed a cost-based rate.
Establishes a commission to study and report on the potential implementation of legislation, rules and regulations for an open internet for New Yorkers.
Relates to certain economic development programs; requires reporting on the use of fiber-optic technology in certain economic development grant programs; adds access to high-speed broadband internet service as consideration in certain competitive grant projects.
Requires that internet providers who provide service in a municipality provide basic internet service to each residential dwelling or residential dwelling unit in that municipality at no cost.
Requires free internet service in households with students who live at or below the poverty level; directs broadband companies to install and/or upgrade broadband services in educational facilities.
Establishes the affordable housing broadband assistance grant program within the division of broadband access to support no-cost and/or discounted subscriptions for households receiving federal, state, or local housing assistance or residing in housing units designated for low-income and/or vulnerable populations.
Requires the Empire State Development corporation's broadband program office to assist in the provision and expansion of broadband internet access service and to address inequities in the availability of such service.
This bill establishes the ConnectAll deployment program to provide state grant funding for broadband infrastructure in non-competitive locations - areas with only one wired or fixed wireless provider offering high-speed internet. It requires funded projects to deliver minimum speeds of 100 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload (or higher), unless waived, and prioritizes applicants committed to high-speed service (1 Gbps) without data caps or content throttling. Eligible applicants include local governments, tribes, or community organizations that demonstrate financial, technical, and safety compliance, plus detailed workforce plans for local hiring. The program targets unserved or underserved areas while ensuring projects meet federal safety and labor standards.
S 1339 authorizes broadband providers to operate in cities with over one million residents by requiring them to pay cities for using public rights-of-way (like streets and sidewalks). It sets a compensation formula based on the length of lines installed, calculated using 2012 cable franchise fees in each county, while allowing cities to use existing franchise agreements instead of the standard rate. The bill directly affects broadband companies operating in large cities (such as New York City) and the cities themselves, which gain a standardized payment mechanism for infrastructure use. Key provisions include credit for prior payments and flexibility for cities to adopt requirements supporting universal service and public safety. This is a substantive policy change, not a procedural measure.
Relates to requiring a digital equity officer be appointed by the director of the office of information technology services to develop, oversee and assist in providing statewide broadband access.
