Legislative Update for WEMTA Members

Governor Walker released draft legislation, which he called on the Legislature to pass, Thursday that would provide an additional $35.5 million in broadband expansion grant and TEACH funding over the next three years.  

The bill draft makes the following funding changes:

1. It transfers $6 million from the Universal Service Fund and $5 million from the Federal E-Rate Program to provide additional funding for the state's Broadband Expansion Grant program. It also allows the Public Service Commission (PSC) to distributed an unlimited amount of broadband expansion grants each year—they are currently only allowed to issue $1.5 million in grants per year.
   
2. Transfers all unspent funds in the Universal Service Fund (which currently provides funding for Newsline for the Blind, the Digital Learning Collaboration, Public Library System Aids, TEACH grants and Library Service Contracts) to the Broadband Expansion Grant program on June 30 of each year.  It also allows PSC to use contributions made by telecommunications providers to the USF to fund broadband expansion grants.
   
3. Extends the TEACH Information Technology Block Grants to July 1, 2019 (it is currently set to end on July 1, 2017). The bill also allows the Department of Administration to award another round of Information Technology Block Grants to school district this year and expand eligibility for the program.  An additional $7.5 million is transferred from the Federal E-rate Program to fund TEACH contracts. 

More information on the Information Technology Block Grants can be found of page 11 of the draft bill. 

Wisconsin Technology Council. Applauds state proposal to boost rural broadband.

TDS. Lauds Governor Walker broadband announcement.

WEMTA Legislative Committee 

Michael Blumenfeld & Associates