Expand Broadband Service

The act requires that the Colorado broadband office (office), on or before January 1, 2022, contract with a nonprofit organization to develop a program to reimburse certain income-eligible households and households in critically unserved areas of the state for their costs to access broadband service. An eligible household may receive reimbursement for up to one-half of its costs for broadband service, not to exceed $600 per year.

The office and the nonprofit organization with which it contracts may use up to $5 million of the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" money transferred to the digital inclusion grant program fund pursuant to House Bill 21-1289, concerning broadband deployment, for the reimbursement program. All of the money for the reimbursement program must be obligated by December 31, 2024, and the act repeals on September 1, 2026. If the office does not find a nonprofit organization with which to contract, the reimbursement program will not be implemented and the office shall use the money allocated for implementation of the reimbursement program to award additional grants for telehealth services.

On or before February 1, 2022, and on or before each February 1 thereafter, the office is required to submit a written report to the governor and the legislative joint budget and joint technology committees about the office's implementation of the reimbursement program.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)