BROADBAND Leadership Act

HR 278, the BROADBAND Leadership Act, streamlines the process for broadband providers to install facilities by setting strict deadlines for local government approvals. It requires state and local governments to approve or deny requests within 90 days (for existing infrastructure) or 150 days (for new projects), with requests deemed approved if deadlines pass. The bill prohibits discrimination based on technology or service type, mandates written decisions with evidence, and requires fees to be neutral, cost-based, and publicly disclosed. It preserves state authority for universal service, public safety, and right-of-way management, while ensuring broadband deployment isn’t delayed by local bureaucracy.