New Jersey Bill Proposes Office of Permitting and Broadband Deployment
A New Jersey bill would establish a new office within the Department of State to coordinate permitting and increase the efficiency of broadband deployment. . A-5896, which Assemblywoman Andrea Katz (D) introduced Friday, would create the Office of Permitting and Broadband Deployment and Development Efficiency and give it the authority to regulate "rates, terms and contracts concerning pole attachments."
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
The office would also be responsible for oversight and enforcement of permitting. It would have the authority to regulate access to poles, conduits and rights-of-way, as well as ensure that rates, terms and conditions of pole attachments are just and reasonable. A New Jersey Permit Fast Track Program would also be established to facilitate efficient processing of permits for critical infrastructure. The office would be appropriated $2 million from the General Fund.