State Senator Doesn't See Votes for Lifting Tennessee Muni Broadband Limits
Not seeing enough votes to lift Tennessee municipal broadband restrictions, state Sen. Janice Bowling (R) asked the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee to refer her three bills to that panel’s General Subcommittee for further discussion. The committee agreed at the…
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livestreamed Tuesday hearing. SB-489, SB-490 and SB-494 are variations of Bowling’s proposal to end the state ban on muni broadband expansion that held back Chattanooga Electric Power Board. Spreading fiber broadband is critical, and the trio of bills could do that without asking for any money, said Bowling. The senator brought such proposals in previous sessions (see 1803020055). Chairman Art Swann (R) told Bowling, “We admire your tenacity.” The committee should analyze state restrictions preventing rural broadband service, Sen. Ferrell Haile (R) said earlier in the hearing. He said state law is preventing an electric cooperative in his area from serving a neighboring community in the same county because a different cooperative serves it. The committee voted 9-0 for SB-1168. It would apply state restrictions on gifts to Tennessee Public Utilities Commission, which is subject to PUC-specific ethics rules. It clarifies the ban on gifts by lobbyists and their employers applies to commissioners and immediate family members, with the same penalties. The committee postponed votes on some other broadband bills, including delaying until March 19 consideration of SB-969 to ban state contracts with ISPs that violate net neutrality rules.