New Mexico Broadband Legislation

HB 10 - HOUSE BILL 10
​Connect New Mexico Act (Laws 2021, Ch. 120)
  • Creates the Connect New Mexico Council
    • Meet Monthly and four-year terms (staggered)
    • Coordinate state agency broadband programs/projects
    • Evaluate, prioritize, and award grant proposals
    • Adopt rules to establish a competitive grant program
  • Develop a Digital Equity Analysis and Plan inclusive of local/state/tribal entities
    • Address affordability, training, and education
    • Identify state/federal/private sector programs to close the digital equity gap
    • Progress Report due August 1, 2023, to be incorporated in the Statewide Broadband Plan by January 1, 2024
  • Creates the non-reverting Connect New Mexico Fund (appropriations, gifts, grants, donations)
  • Annual Report due October 1st each year
  • Increases amount of the PRC Rural Universal Services Fund to a minimum of $8M
HB10: https://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/21%20Regular/final/HB0010.pdf

SB93 - SENATE BILL 93
​Broadband Access and Expansion Act (Laws 2021, Chapter 123)
  • Creates the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion; administratively supported by the
    Department of Information Technology (DoIT)
  • Office managed by a director appointed by the Governor
  • Duties include
    • Establish standards for quality of service (homes, businesses, public facilities)
    • Maintain the online NM Broadband Map
    • Create and maintain a repository for broadband data/information
    • Develop a three-year statewide broadband plan (due January 1, 2022)
      • –  Update plan annually and report to the Governor
      • –  Plan to be inclusive of state/local agencies, tribes, and public education input
    • Office required to
      • –  Provide technical and planning assistance with a focus on regional planning
      • –  Form an advisory committee inclusive of state/local/tribal entities and the public
      • –  Identify federal and other funding sources​
    • State agencies required to coordinate with the Office
SB93: https://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/21%20Regular/final/SB0093.pdf

​SB 377 - SENATE BILL 377
Broadband Appropriations - $110M (Laws 2021,Ch. 140, Section 17) 
​Broadband Appropriations to the Connect New Mexico Fund (FY2021-2026)
  • Plan, design, engineer, construct, and purchase, and equip broadband infrastructure ($70M)
  • No more than seven million ($7M) to be spent contingent on submittal of an expenditure plan
  • Development of a Broadband Office ($500K)
  • Grants to local governments, tribes, electric/telephone cooperatives for planning/grant writing support ($5M)
  • No more than $500K be spent contingent on submittal of an expenditure plan
  • Plan, design, engineer, construct, purchase, equip broadband infrastructure for schools ($25M) from the Public-School Reform Fund
  • No more than $2.5M to be spent contingent on submittal of an expenditure plan
  • Appropriation of $10M to Economic Development Department to support “Emerging Broadband Technology”​​
SB377: https://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/21%20Regular/final/SB0377.pdf

Federal Policy and Legislation

Federal Policy and Legislation: https://www.digitalinclusion.org/policy/
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