HB298 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Juandalynn GivanRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Broadband, revising broadband accessibility grant program, increasing minimum threshold speed, expanding program to governmental entities, revising grant application process, Sec. 41-23-211, 41-23-212, 41-23-213, 41-23-214 am'd.

Summary

HB298 rewrites Alabama's broadband grant program by changing speed standards, expanding who can apply, boosting funding limits, adding preferences, and creating new oversight.

What This Bill Does

It lowers the download speed threshold to 20 Mbps and raises the upload speed threshold to 100 Mbps for grant eligibility. It allows governmental entities to participate and requires applicants to have submitted their broadband availability data to the state mapping program in the past year; and it requires grant funds to be distributed according to the statewide connectivity plan. It increases the maximum grant share for unserved areas from the current cap to up to 80% of costs or a $5 million limit. It adds preferences for Alabama-based entities and projects with certain programs, adjusts the application window, removes the online publication requirement for applications while allowing eligibility objections, and lets funded projects request a one-year extension in certain cases; it also creates a Rural Broadband Oversight Committee to oversee the program and report on progress.

Who It Affects

• End users in rural or unserved areas (residents and businesses) who may benefit from more grant-funded projects and potentially higher service speeds, with greater cost coverage.
• Government entities and Alabama-based organizations (including local governments, hospitals, libraries, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) that would become eligible for grants and subject to new preferences and reporting requirements.

Key Provisions

• Minimum service threshold raised: broadband grants would require speeds of 20 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload (per the bill’s text).
• Government entities may apply; applicants must have contributed statewide broadband mapping data within the past year; funds must align with the statewide connectivity plan.
• Unserved-area grant cap increased to the lesser of 80% of project costs or $5,000,000 (up from 35% and $1,500,000).
• Additional preferences: give weight to Alabama-based or locally headquartered entities and to projects offering certain programs; encourage use of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.
• Grant window and procedures revised: includes new application windows, allows objections to eligibility, and removes online posting requirement for applications.
• Project completion extensions: allows a one-year extension to the two-year completion deadline under certain circumstances.
• Oversight and reporting: creates the Alabama Rural Broadband Oversight Committee and requires ADECA to report on grant status and progress, with committee oversight and diversity considerations.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Broadband