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Bill would let broadband fund support early-warning and interoperable emergency communications
Summary
House Bill 18 would expand permissible uses of the Broadband Infrastructure Fund to include early-warning systems, interoperable radio and emergency communications equipment; Comptroller and broadband office representatives described the competitive grant process and the fund balances available for such uses.
House Select Committee members heard House Bill 18, which would amend the Government Code to expand allowable uses of the Broadband Infrastructure Fund (BIF) to include early-warning systems and interoperable emergency communications infrastructure.
Doctor Bonham, who presented the bill, described BIF as a $1.5 billion fund created by House Bill 9 and funded in part by voter-approved Proposition 8 in 2023. He told the committee the fund’s current state balance is roughly $1.36 billion and noted additional federal allocations in the broadband program accounting for about $3.3…
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