Filed by Republican state Rep.Trent Ashby of Lufkin, House Bill 9 and the accompanying House Joint Resolution 125 would ask Texas voters in November whether the state can spend that historic amount and create the Texas Broadband Infrastructure Fund.
The House approved Ashby’s bill 140-9 on Thursday. It now heads to the Senate.
“This bill will have a measurable impact on each one of your districts,” Ashby said on the House floor. “No matter whether they be urban, suburban or rural.” The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the significant need for internet connectivity — nearly 7 million Texans don’t have reliable broadband service, if they are connected at all. In the last session, the state established the Broadband Development Office, which released its broadband development map earlier this year. The map shows internet speeds and availability across the state and will help determine which communities are eligible for grant funding.
