The broadband expansion program authority shall do the following:

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(A) Continually examine, and propose updates to, any broadband plan provided by law enacted by the general assembly or executive order issued by the governor;

(B) Monitor the Ohio residential broadband expansion grant program, including by doing the following:

(1) Tracking the details for annual applications to the program, including:

(a) The number of applications;

(b) The geographic locations of the eligible projects listed in the applications;

(c) The broadband providers submitting applications;

(d) A description of the tier two broadband infrastructure and technology proposed in applications;

(e) A description of any public right-of-way or public facilities to be utilized for the projects;

(f) The speeds of the tier two broadband services under the projects;

(g) The amount of the grant funds requested for each project and the proportion of project funding to be provided by the broadband provider and by other entities;

(h) The number of residential and nonresidential locations that will have access to tier two broadband service under each project.

(2) Tracking the program grants awarded annually, including:

(a) The number of program grants;

(b) The geographic location or locations of the projects;

(c) The broadband providers that received program grants and the entities or companies that submitted the application;

(d) A description of the tier two broadband infrastructure and technology deployed in each project;

(e) A description of any public right-of-way or public facilities utilized as part of the project;

(f) The speeds of the tier two broadband services enabled by each project;

(g) The amounts of each program grant, the share of the project funding provided by the broadband provider, and any share of the project funding provided by other entities;

(h) The number of residential and nonresidential locations that will have access to tier two broadband service for each project.

(3) Listing the amount of any unencumbered program grant funds that remain available for award under the Ohio residential broadband expansion grant program;

(4) Adding any additional factors deemed necessary by the authority to monitor the program.

(C) Review all progress reports and operational reports required under section 122.4070 of the Revised Code.

(D) Review all pending county requests made pursuant to section 122.4051 of the Revised Code for program grants.

(E) Identify any best practices for, and impediments to, the continued expansion of tier two broadband infrastructure and technology in the state;

(F) Coordinate and promote the availability of publicly accessible digital literacy programs to increase fluency in the use and security of interactive digital tools and searchable networks, including the ability to use digital tools safely and effectively for learning, collaborating, and producing;

(G) Identify, examine, and report on any federal or state government grant or loan program that would promote the deployment of tier two broadband infrastructure and technology in the state;

(H) Track the availability, location, rates and speeds, and adoption of programs that offer tier one broadband service and tier two broadband service in an affordable manner to low-income consumers in this state;

(I) Establish the extremely high cost per location threshold for the costs of building high speed internet infrastructure in any specific area, above which wireline broadband service has an extremely high cost in comparison to fixed wireless broadband service.