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Broadband oversight bill amended, fails on tie vote and is voluntarily deferred for more work
Summary
Chairman Desautels’ proposal to give the Public Service Commission (PSC) enforcement authority over rules issued by the Office of Broadband drew heavy industry and regulator attention. Committee adopted a narrowed amendment but a tie vote left the bill unresolved; the sponsor then voluntarily deferred the measure for additional stakeholder work.
Chairman Joel Desautels opened a wide‑ranging discussion on House Bill 305, aimed at creating a statewide mechanism for enforcement when constituents claim they did not receive broadband service promised under state or federal deployment awards. The sponsor described the complexity of multiple federal and state grant programs (RDOF, GUMBO phases, ARDOF) and said constituents need a single place to lodge complaints and to have deadlines and performance obligations enforced.
Desautels offered an amendment (Set 2163) that narrowed the bill: rather than creating new rulemaking authority, the amendment directed the Public Service Commission (PSC) to enforce only the grant‑program rules already promulgated by the Office of Broadband and Connectivity. The amendment was adopted after discussion with industry and providers who feared duplication of regulation.
The Public Service Commission’s executive secretary and Commissioner Eric Scarmetta testified that the PSC would accept responsibility for broadband enforcement but urged the committee to give the PSC full, clean jurisdiction rather than enforcement limited only to rules made by the Office of Broadband. Industry groups (CTIA, USTelecom and major providers) submitted written opposition; think‑tank testimony warned against reimposing regulatory burdens that the state previously relaxed.
After extended discussion, a roll‑call on the amended measure resulted in an 8–8 tie, which meant the committee could not report the bill out. The sponsor then moved to defer HB 305 to continue stakeholder negotiation; the committee agreed to the voluntary deferral.
Ending: The sponsor said he will continue stakeholder outreach to reconcile industry concerns, PSC requests for clearer jurisdiction and the Office of Broadband’s operational role; the bill is deferred.
