HB 3093
BROADBAND
By Natalie Roper and Gaylene Miller
SENATE: 31-1 HOUSE: 97-2
One of the most exciting developments of the 2017 legisla-
tive session was the passage of House Bill (HB) 3093 by the
West Virginia Legislature, which gives communities, consumers
and internet providers a range of tools to support innovative
and creative ways to increase high-speed internet access across
West Virginia. This legislation was supported by a widespread
coalition led by a multigenerational partnership between Gen-
eration West Virginia and AARP West Virginia.
Too many places in West Virginia are on the wrong side of the
digital divide. HB 3093 ensures that areas of the Mountain State
where the state’s major broadband providers have not found it
profitable to deploy state-of-the-art broadband services can finally
access the internet at the speeds today’s global economy requires.
HB 3093 establishes broadband enhancement and expan-
sion policies by providing for a range of solutions to connect
communities across the Mountain State with access to reliable,
affordable high-speed internet services.
This bill authorizes establishment of nonprofit broadband
cooperative service models to spur development in unserved
and underserved areas. More than 75 years ago, nonprofit,
consumer-owned utilities took the lead in extending electric
utility service to the farms, businesses and households of rural
America. Today, that same cooperative model can be used as
an important tool to empower rural communities in efforts to
expand high-speed internet service.
HB 3093 fosters the West Virginia Broadband Enhancement
Council’s role in expediting the deployment of broadband
services in communities across the Mountain State by estab-
lishing the council as the state hub for data collection, mapping
and assessment of high-speed internet services. It expands the
council’s ability to serve as a policy sounding board or think
tank entity for the development of policy recommendations to
enhance and expand broadband in the state.
This bill provides for the availability of loan insurance for
commercial loans used to expand high-speed internet service
to unserved and underserved areas. This allows for small- to
medium-sized providers to have access to the capital they need
to expand broadband infrastructure in the state.
HB 3093 also reduces existing barriers to broadband deploy-
ment by ensuring ready-pole access by all potential internet
providers to the poles of incumbent local exchange carriers
and authorizes the use of microtrenching techniques, as well
as establishes a voluntary easement program to facilitate the
deployment of high-speed internet.
This is the first piece of comprehensive broadband expansion
legislation passed in years. It passed with overwhelming bipar-
tisan majorities in both the House and Senate, and Governor
Jim Justice signed it into law to take effect July 1, 2017.
Congratulations
Tricia!
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