JITOC hears overview of broadband funding, public‑safety dispatch planning and ADS automated systems inventory

At its Aug. 26 meeting, JITOC received a briefing on broadband deployment programs, federal broadband funding allocations, a statewide public‑safety communications task force, and the Agency of Digital Services’ (ADS) inventories of automated decision systems and AI activities.

Maria Bridal and Lisa Gobin summarized the broadband landscape: Vermont’s Community Broadband Board administers state grant programs and federal funds. Gobin noted that Vermont’s federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD/BED) allocation was cited in briefing materials as about $229 million and that state policy has favored projects that meet a 500/100 Mbps target (typically fiber). She said federal guidance prompted states to re‑open some grant rounds to align with updated federal criteria and that the committee would hear from the Vermont Community Broadband Board’s executive director at a future meeting.

Bridal described a Public Safety Communications System task force created to study and recommend a statewide integrated 9‑1‑1 and dispatch system. The task force is inventorying existing dispatch centers (more than 40 across the state), consultant work is underway, and federal dollars are available for system improvements. Staff recommended future briefings from the task force and from the Vermont Community Broadband Board.

Rick Sagal noted ADS’s statutory reporting obligations, including maintaining an inventory of automated decision systems and the existence of an AI division within ADS that reviews AI systems used by state government. Those inventories and annual reports are available publicly and can be raised for further committee review.

No formal committee actions were taken; staff flagged several items for future committee briefings and possible oversight attention.