Signed by Governor Greg Abbott

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that amends the Government Code and Utilities Code to establish a modernized pole attachment regime.

Highlights:

• Amends the Government Code and Utilities Code to establish a modernized pole attachment regime that applies to Texas’ electric cooperatives and promotes consistency, transparency, and fairness in the deployment of broadband services (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the Texas Broadband Pole Replacement Program and Fund to speed up the deployment of broadband services to individuals living in rural areas by reimbursing a portion of eligible pole replacement costs incurred by pole owners or providers of qualifying broadband services (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Comptroller of public accounts to make a one-time transfer to the aforementioned fund from money received from the federal government from the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text