Three Bills Proposed In New Mexico to Make Statewide Broadband A Reality

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Statewide broadband is one step closer in New Mexico with House Bill 10 on the horizon, according to the Los Alamos Reporter. The legislation, called the Connect New Mexico Act, aims to institute a centralized plan for the state to build, manage and deliver broadband internet access to advance education, telemedicine, remote work, and more. 

“The Connect New Mexico Act presents a three-year, centralized plan to connect every community in New Mexico with the high-speed, affordable, broadband internet that’s essential to modern life,” said Rep. Natalie Figueroa, a sponsor of the bill. 

The bill recently passed the House with a 64-4 vote and includes three main components to “deliver high-speed broadband in the necessary timeframe” plus work within a “centralized entity like the Office of Broadband to ensure efficiency in buildout,” said Rep. Susan Herrera, another sponsor. The bill’s three components include:

  1. Establishing a centralized Office of Broadband to coordinate state, local, and federal resources to build new infrastructure and connect every New Mexico community. 
  2. Creating a comprehensive plan that maps out the state’s current broadband infrastructure and assesses the next steps to complete the buildout.
  3. Setting a high bar for the quality of internet service delivered to residents and ensuring communities have the knowledge and technical expertise to leverage internet resources to benefit local communities. 

Along with House Bill 10, two other measures are proposed to make statewide broadband a reality: House Joint Resolution 9: Public Assistance for Infrastructure Development, and House Bill 141: Education Infrastructure Technology Definition. Together, these three measures will allow the new Office of Broadband to apply for grants to help build the state’s broadband infrastructure, according to the Reporter.

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