87th Session Recap - Expansion of Broadband

H.B. 5 - Relating to the expansion of broadband services to certain areas.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted, more than ever, the critical importance of a robust broadband infrastructure network to maintaining basic quality of life. Remote learning, access to telemedicine, economic development, and other facets of life all hinge on the availability of quality high speed Internet. Hundreds of thousands of Texans are currently without access to quality broadband and this bill seeks to move Texas forward to bridging the digital divide.

H.B. 5 was a broad bill that created a new state agency/office, the State Broadband Development Office, to provide resources and outreach to expand broadband, develop a comprehensive state broadband plan by collaborating with industry and stakeholders, and create maps of the state that display access to broadband.  The bill also creates a new Broadband Development Program and Development Account to provide grants, low-interest loans, and other incentives to expand broadband.

This bill became immediately effective after the governor’s signature on June 15, 2021.

S.B. 632 – Relating to provision of broadband infrastructure and connectivity by the Lower Colorado River Authority.

S.B. 632 allows the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) to help connect rural Texans to critically needed broadband services by authorizing LCRA to build broadband infrastructure and facilitate broadband connectivity on its electric transmission system.  LCRA will be able to repurpose its fiber optic transmission lines to provide broadband services to which contracted entities can connect. LCRA will be providing the broadband highway, serving as the middle mile role to which retail providers will connect and serve as the last mile role in providing services to end customers.

This bill was the earliest to pass in all of the bills we tracked this session and became effective on April 30, 2021.

TMHA supports efforts to expand broadband access, specifically in the rural parts of Texas.  The ability to work remotely and have access to broadband opens up more rural markets to more potential homebuyers.  Manufactured homes serve a critical housing choice, in particular in rural areas, so more buyers in those areas could positively impact our industry.