H.R. 2975

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2975 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2975

To direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and 
Information to establish a competitive grant program to assist local 
governments in providing efficient review and approval of zoning and 
permitting applications that facilitate the deployment of broadband 
infrastructure, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 21, 2025

Mrs. Fletcher introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and 
Information to establish a competitive grant program to assist local 
governments in providing efficient review and approval of zoning and 
permitting applications that facilitate the deployment of broadband 
infrastructure, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Broadband Incentives for Communities 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Congress provided at least $42,500,000,000 through the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) for 
Federal agencies to carry out broadband-support activities, 
including through competitive grants and other forms of 
financial assistance, to expand broadband connections to 
underserved rural communities and underserved low-income 
communities.
(2) Local governments play a significant role in the 
deployment of broadband infrastructure through their zoning and 
permitting processes.
(3) Local governments will need additional assistance to 
manage the expected accelerated pace of zoning and permitting 
applications that facilitate the deployment of broadband 
infrastructure in their communities.
(4) The Federal Government has a critical role to play in 
encouraging the deployment of broadband infrastructure by local 
governments.
(5) The establishment of a competitive grant program to 
provide resources to, and incentives for, local governments to 
fulfill their role in expanding broadband access for all is a 
vital component of a successful broadband deployment policy.

SEC. 3. BROADBAND INCENTIVES FOR COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) Establishment.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish a 
program to make grants on a competitive basis to covered entities to 
assist such entities in providing efficient review and approval of 
covered applications.
(b) Eligibility.--The Assistant Secretary may only make a grant 
under this section to a covered entity that does the following:
(1) The covered entity submits to the Assistant Secretary 
an application at such time, in such form, and accompanied by 
such information and assurances as the Assistant Secretary may 
require.
(2) The covered entity demonstrates readiness for the 
deployment of broadband infrastructure (including fifth-
generation wireless communications infrastructure) in the 
jurisdiction of the covered entity, including through the 
following:
(A) Adoption and implementation of efficient 
processes, which comply with applicable Federal 
standards and regulations, for reviewing covered 
applications that facilitate wireless and fiber 
deployment, including those applications relating to 
projects that make efficient use of existing 
infrastructure.
(B) Adoption and implementation of written 
policies, ordinances, or guidance that allows the use 
of expedited processes, such as micro-trenching, for 
the deployment of broadband infrastructure.
(C) With respect to fees for the processing of 
covered applications--
(i) in the case of a covered application 
described in subparagraph (A), adoption and 
implementation of fees that are limited to the 
actual, objectively reasonable costs incurred 
by the covered entity to process the 
application and (if applicable) provide access 
to the right-of-way to which the application 
relates; and
(ii) in the case of any other covered 
application, adoption and implementation of 
uniform and objectively reasonable fees, which 
shall be published in advance of the date on 
which such fees begin to apply to any such 
application.
(c) Use of Funds.--A covered entity that receives a grant under 
this section shall use the grant for one or more of the following:
(1) Capacity-building for the covered entity to facilitate 
the processing of covered applications, including employee 
training and hiring.
(2) The purchase of technology, software, and equipment to 
facilitate the processing of covered applications, including in 
a remote work environment.

SEC. 4. LOCAL BROADBAND ADVISORY COUNCIL.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall establish an 
advisory council, to be known as the ``Local Broadband Advisory 
Council'', to develop solutions to the challenges shared by local 
jurisdictions, covered entities, and infrastructure providers in 
facilitating wireless and broadband deployment, including in unserved 
and underserved communities.
(b) Membership.--The Council shall be composed of broadband 
deployment stakeholders appointed by the Assistant Secretary, including 
representatives from the broadband industry, infrastructure providers, 
local governments, and covered entities.
(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the Council is established 
under subsection (a), the Council shall submit to the Assistant 
Secretary and Congress a report on the solutions developed under such 
subsection.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Assistant Secretary 
such sums as may necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
and Information.
(2) Broadband infrastructure.--The term ``broadband 
infrastructure'' means facilities or equipment utilized for the 
provision of broadband internet access service (as defined in 
section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations).
(3) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Local 
Broadband Advisory Council established under section 4.
(4) Covered application.--The term ``covered application'' 
means a zoning or permitting application that facilitates the 
deployment of broadband infrastructure.
(5) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means--
(A) a political subdivision of a State; or
(B) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 5304)).
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the 
United States, the District of Columbia, and each commonwealth, 
territory, or possession of the United States.
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