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Commerce briefs JFAC on broadband: $35M state fund mostly committed, $120M ARPA projects under contract and $580M BEAD pre‑applications under way
Summary
The Idaho Department of Commerce said the state broadband fund ($35 million) is largely obligated, about $120 million in ARPA capital projects for broadband is under contract to connect roughly 35,000 homes and businesses, and the federal IIJA BEAD program ($580 million) is entering prequalification and funding application phases.
The Department of Commerce told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee that Idaho’s broadband rollout is advancing on multiple funding fronts: state broadband funds, federal ARPA capital projects and the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) BEAD program.
Brooke Dupree, a budget analyst with the Legislative Services Office, reviewed Commerce’s budget and highlighted that the department now staffs a broadband office created last legislative session. The office was allocated personnel to manage large federal grants tied to broadband infrastructure.
Why it matters: Broadband funding decisions determine where state and federal dollars connect unserved and underserved homes and businesses. Deployment timelines, technology choices and relationships with private internet service providers shape outcomes for rural and urban communities.
Director Tom Keeley and Ramon Jabe Sanchez, the department’s…
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