Technology (Rural Communities)

HB 5236 requires Texas state agencies to consider four specific factors when determining if an area qualifies as "rural": economic need (like high unemployment or low income), healthcare access (including hospital and mental health services), infrastructure (roads, transit, internet), and education quality (student poverty, resources, funding). This applies directly to state agencies administering programs that use rural designations, such as those distributing infrastructure grants or healthcare funding. The bill mandates these factors be evaluated in addition to existing legal requirements. It takes effect September 1, 2025.

HB 2964 allocates up to $750 million from the state's broadband infrastructure fund to provide grants, low-interest loans, and financial incentives for building fiber-optic broadband networks in specific rural Texas counties. It targets counties with 5,000-25,000 residents that lack existing broadband infrastructure and have unserved locations according to FCC data. The bill prioritizes projects expanding service to residential/commercial addresses not yet covered by fiber, as well as to schools and colleges. This directly affects eligible rural communities and their residents by funding infrastructure development to address broadband gaps.