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Committee hears bill shifting digital-equity leadership to Office of Equity and expanding responsibilities
Summary
Substitute House Bill 15-03 would transfer primary digital equity duties from the Department of Commerce to the Office of Equity, require the Office of Equity to develop and monitor a state digital equity plan and report back, and add staff and resources according to agency fiscal notes; Office of Equity staff told the committee they
The House Appropriations Committee heard a staff briefing and public testimony on substitute House Bill 15-03, which would shift primary responsibility for several digital equity duties from the Department of Commerce to the Office of Equity and expand the Office of Equity's role in planning, outreach and monitoring of the state's digital equity plan.
Staff explained the substitute's main changes: the Office of Equity would develop and monitor the state digital equity plan, support the Digital Equity Forum, undertake community outreach to unserved and underserved communities, and submit progress reports to the Legislature; Commerce would retain some operational responsibilities while continuing to coordinate broadband deployment and adopt a supporting role. The substitute also requires a review of broadband speed goals by 2028 and establishes additional reporting cadence for a revised digital equity plan every two years.
A fiscal note included in committee materials estimated a net biennial impact of roughly $1.3 million beginning in 2025–27, driven primarily by additional staff and operating needs at the Office of Equity and increased analytical workload at the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) and Department of Commerce. Staff told the committee the Office of Equity requested expenditure authority for several positions to develop, staff and coordinate plan implementation and outreach.
Public testimony included support from the League of Women Voters and local governments, which emphasized the broad equity and civic benefits of broadband access for education, public safety and remote learning inside state institutions. Local advocates and tribal and community representatives described projects that depend on state-level coordination and urged funding for implementation and outreach.
No committee action was taken Tuesday; staff said the fiscal note and agency staffing details would be available for members to review.
