Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Broadband Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee backs transfer of state broadband office to Department of Administration amid split testimony
Summary
Senate Bill 13‑22 would move the State Broadband Office from the Arizona Commerce Authority to the Arizona Department of Administration to centralize infrastructure, 9‑1‑1 and public‑safety coordination. Supporters, including a rural first‑responder, said the ADOA would better integrate broadband with emergency communications; the Commerce
Senate Bill 13‑22, which would transfer the State Broadband Office from the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) to the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA), received a do‑pass recommendation from the Senate Committee on Government after a contested hearing.
Sponsor Senator Rogers invited Isaac Blake, a Payson resident with public‑safety and technology experience, to explain why he supports shifting oversight. Blake argued that broadband is critical infrastructure—like roads and 9‑1‑1—and that placing the office inside ADOA would improve coordination across transportation, public safety and other agencies and help ensure that broadband deployment prioritizes public‑safety outcomes (for example, reliable emergency calls in dead‑zone areas).
The Arizona Commerce Authority described its current role and work on multiple programs in testimony and registered neutrality, warning that transferring the office at this implementation stage could disrupt ongoing grant selection and roll‑out. ACA staff said the office has helped deploy projects under prior state grants and is currently administering federal broadband funds and competitive subgrants.
Labor representatives (Communication Workers of America) and other witnesses urged caution, arguing the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) funds are now being allocated and that moving the function could jeopardize momentum, vendor relationships and timely disbursement. Supporters countered that centralized oversight at ADOA would reduce duplication and coordinate public‑safety priorities during rollout.
After debate, the committee returned SB 13‑22 a do‑pass recommendation by a vote of 4 ayes and 3 nays. Members divided over timing: some said the move would improve cross‑agency coordination now, while others said the current ACA‑led rollout should complete before a transfer.
