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Senate debates UTOPIA financing, limits amendment and circles SB 66 for further work
Summary
Senators debated whether municipal UTOPIA broadband projects should use general obligation bonds (requiring voter approval) or revenue/sales-tax bonds, and whether contracts should allow limited exclusivity for private providers; an amendment to limit exclusivity to nine months and clarify sales-tax pledging sparked dispute and the bill was circled for more negotiation.
Senators spent an extended floor period debating Senate Bill 66, a first-substitute measure aimed at changing how communities can finance UTOPIA and similar municipal broadband projects.
Senator Chris Hickman introduced the substitute, saying it would allow communities participating in the UTOPIA plan to use general obligation (GO) bonds to finance infrastructure and would require a vote of the affected community. He said GO bonds could secure lower interest rates and ensure voter approval of the financing method.
Senator Randall Bramble offered an amendment (Amendment 5) that sought two main changes: to guard against what he described as “double dipping” — the use of the same sales-tax revenue both…
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