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Audit: Washington lacks a unified digital equity plan and designated leader, auditors say
Summary
SAO told JLARC the state has multiple digital equity plans but no single comprehensive, funded strategy or empowered lead agency; auditors recommended the legislature establish an oversight authority and require a unified state digital equity plan.
The State Auditor's Office told the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee on May 13 that Washington lacks a comprehensive, unified state plan and a clearly empowered lead for digital equity efforts.
Patrick Anderson, a senior performance auditor, told the committee that while Washington has multiple documents that touch on digital equity'the Office of Equity's PAIR/Impact plan, the BEAD five'year action plan and an NTIA-approved digital equity plan'none provides both comprehensive coverage and clear assignation of roles and reliable funding to implement statewide goals.
"Washington lacks a comprehensive unified state level plan to address digital equity," Anderson said. He explained the BEAD and NTIA plans were developed to satisfy federal funding requirements and focus primarily on broadband infrastructure, while the PAIR/Impact framework covers equity broadly but does not set specific digital equity actions or agency responsibilities.
Anderson also told the committee that the federal digital equity capacity grant program the state planned to leverage was terminated in May 2025, reducing available federal implementation funding. SAO recommended the legislature define and empower a lead organization, require that organization to produce a comprehensive unified state digital equity plan, and create clear oversight and evaluation roles.
Commerce and the Office of Equity told the committee they agreed with many of the report's conclusions. Mark Barclay of the Department of Commerce said the broadband office is focused on delivering high'speed broadband and working on affordability and device programs in partnership with the Office of Equity. "We remain committed to working with the Office of Equity, the equity forum, and the legislature on delivering to our communities," Barclay said.
Public testimony from Sabrina Roach, chair of the Washington Digital Equity Partners Coalition, described local and regional work to create community action plans and urged the committee to support coordination and capacity building at the regional level. Roach emphasized the role of Washington State University Extension and regional broadband action teams in producing county-level plans that informed the state's NTIA-approved digital equity plan.
SAO told members it can provide further research on models from other states and suggested a future audit to examine best practices for assigning leadership and accountability. The committee asked SAO and Commerce for follow-up information on priorities, metrics and whether a legislative structure is needed to empower a statewide leader.
