Maine Senate approves Bellows bill to encourage further broadband investment in Maine

Posted: March 04, 2020 | Senator Bellows

On Tuesday, the Maine Senate gave unanimous, initial approval to LD 1563, “An Act To Encourage the Development of Broadband Coverage in Rural Maine,” a bill sponsored by Sen. Shenna Bellows, D-Manchester, to encourage further development of broadband coverage in Maine.

“In order for Maine’s economy to grow, our young people to get a quality education, and our seniors to access the health care they need, we need high-speed, reliable internet across the state,” said Sen. Bellows. “This bill will make it easier for communities to secure planning grants for broadband, and simpler to identify where in Maine we need to invest to ensure no one gets left out of access to reliable, high-speed internet, so I’m glad – but not surprised – that it got such strong support in the Senate.”

LD 1563 accomplishes these goals by making four changes:

  • Renaming ConnectME to ConnectMaine; 
  • Requiring ConnectMaine to collect data annually from providers that is needed to accomplish the statutory goals of the authority;
  • Changing the ConnectMaine planning grant structure to provide more flexibility for communities and lower the potential barriers for communities to start the process of planning; and
  • Giving ConnectMaine the authority to establish rules to implement these changes.

At a recent public hearing on LD 1563, ConnectME and GrowSmart Maine, a statewide nonpartisan organization working to create lasting prosperity without sacrificing the quality of life that defines Maine, expressed support for the bill.

The name change makes it clear that ConnectMaine will work on behalf of the entire state, not any individual Mainer. The data collection will ensure that it is known which areas are or are not underserved. There are significant amounts of federal money available for broadband, but much of that money has restrictions that can only be met if Maine has certain required data. And reducing the regulatory burden on community groups who wish to pursue broadband planning grants is in keeping with the state’s goals to encourage local leadership and investment in broadband by helping not to make life more complicated or difficult for these local groups.

The bill next faces votes in the Maine House.