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Committee hears bill to limit public broadband bonds to unserved, underserved areas
Summary
Rep. Caleb Hinkle told the Senate Energy Committee that House Bill 650 would reserve publicly backed broadband bond financing for unserved and underserved communities to avoid taxpayer‑funded overbuilding.
Representative Caleb Hinkle presented House Bill 650 to the committee, saying the bill would authorize public bonding for broadband facilities but restrict the use of those bonds to unserved and underserved areas so taxpayer‑backed finance does not duplicate existing private networks. Hinkle said the measure aligns with a goal to prioritize scarce public financing for locations lacking reliable high‑speed service.
Supporters included large incumbent providers, the Montana Chamber of Commerce and taxpayer groups who argued public financing should not be…
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