Washington state prepares for BEAD funding, but work remains to expand digital adoption and equity

While originally anticipated to be the year of broadband, the 2024 short session proved to be rather subdued in that arena.

Washington is expected to receive close to $1.2 billion in Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding. To ensure that project owners effectively access and use the federal dollars, budget writers appropriated $1.5 million in one-time state funding to provide technical assistance to BEAD grantees. Legislators also indicated their intention to make matching funds available in the 2025-2027 biennium.

In addition to infrastructure funding, supporting broadband adoption is a critical element in ensuring all Washingtonians have access to reliable internet. While it did not pass, HB 2313 sought to address the lack of digital equity in the state. The bill would have expanded the work of the Office of Equity to provide outreach to hard-to-reach and low-income communities and to develop digital equity programs, in consultation with the Washington State Broadband Office. Advocates of the issue are expected to continue work throughout the interim and reintroduce legislation in the 2025 session.

Finally, HB 1982, legislation codifying the Community Economic Revitalization Board’s (CERB) Rural Broadband grant and loan program was passed. CERB’s program gives rural local governments and tribes financing to build the broadband infrastructure needed to provide high-speed, open access internet service. Codifying the program permanently establishes it, making it no longer dependent on capital appropriations.