HF 2381

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/10/2016 05:17pm

A bill for an act
relating to broadband; amending a definition; amending the broadband grant
application process; requiring a report; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 116J.391, subdivision 1; 116J.395,
subdivisions 4, 5, by adding a subdivision.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 116J.391, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Definitions.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms
have the meanings given them.

(b) "Broadband" or "broadband service" has the meaning given in section 116J.39,
subdivision 1, paragraph (b).

(c) "Broadband conduit" means a conduit, pipe, innerduct, or microduct deleted text begin for fiber
deleted text end deleted text begin optic or other cables deleted text end that deleted text begin support deleted text end new text begin supports new text end broadband and wireless facilities for broadband
service.

(d) "Local unit of government" has the meaning given in section 116G.03,
subdivision 3.

(e) "Office" means the Office of Broadband Development established in section
116J.39.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 116J.395, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Application process.

new text begin (a) new text end An eligible applicant must submit an application
to the commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner. The commissioner shall
develop administrative procedures governing the application and grant award process.
The commissioner shall act as fiscal agent for the grant program and shall be responsible
for receiving and reviewing grant applications and awarding grants under this section.

new text begin (b) At least 30 days prior to the first day applications may be submitted each fiscal
year, the commissioner must publish the specific criteria and any quantitative weighting
scheme or scoring system the commissioner used to evaluate or rank applications and
award grants under subdivision 6 on the department's Web site.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 116J.395, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Application contents.

An applicant for a grant under this section shall
provide the following information on the application:

(1) the location of the project;

(2) the kind and amount of broadband infrastructure to be purchased for the project;

(3) evidence regarding the unserved or underserved nature of the community in
which the project is to be located;

(4) the number of households passed that will have access to broadband service as a
result of the project, or whose broadband service will be upgraded as a result of the project;

(5) significant community institutions that will benefit from the proposed project;

(6) evidence of community support for the project;

(7) the total cost of the project;

(8) sources of funding or in-kind contributions for the project that will supplement
any grant award; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(9) new text begin the names of each vendor that provided information to the applicant regarding the
scope, cost, or technical aspects of the project; each vendor's experience in constructing
broadband projects; and the ways, if any, in which the proposed project was altered based
on vendor comments; and
new text end

new text begin (10) new text end any additional information requested by the commissioner.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 116J.395, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Application evaluation report. new text end

new text begin By June 30 of each year, the office
shall place on the Department of Employment and Economic Development's Web
site, and provide to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house
of representatives committees with primary jurisdiction over broadband, a list of all
applications for grants under this section received during the previous year and, for each
application:
new text end

new text begin (1) the results of any quantitative weighting scheme or scoring system the
commissioner used to award grants or rank the applications;
new text end

new text begin (2) the grant amount requested; and
new text end

new text begin (3) the grant amount awarded, if any.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
The initial report submission required under this section is due June 30, 2016.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $35,000,000 in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to
the commissioner of employment and economic development for deposit in the
border-to-border broadband fund account established in Minnesota Statutes, section
116J.396, for the purposes described in that section. Of the broadband grant awards made
by the commissioner with this appropriation, the commissioner must award 60 percent
of the funds to applicants in unserved areas and 40 percent to applicants in underserved
areas, as the terms are defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.394. If grant awards
are insufficient to fully expend funds available in either unserved or undeserved areas,
the commissioner may expend unused funds on grants to applicants in areas in which
grant awards were fully expended.
new text end