Pennsylvania SB 727: An Act providing for an inventory of State-owned assets for the development of fixed broadband services in unserved areas; establishing the Broadband Services Restricted Account; and providing for underserved areas of this Commonwealth.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 742
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 727
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY PHILLIPS-HILL, BROOKS, YAW, PENNYCUICK,
HUTCHINSON, VOGEL, J. WARD, BAKER AND STEFANO, MAY 5, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, MAY 5, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for an inventory of State-owned assets for the
development of fixed broadband services in unserved areas;
establishing the Broadband Services Restricted Account; and
providing for underserved areas of this Commonwealth.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the State-owned
Assets and Broadband Services Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of General Services of the
Commonwealth.
"Fixed broadband service." An Internet connection provided
through a link to a stationary location.
"Mobile broadband service." An Internet connection provided
through a link to locations that are not stationary.
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"Qualified provider." A provider of mobile broadband service
that has obtained all governmental approvals required for the
provision of fixed broadband service in the unserved area or
underserved area in which it seeks to provide the service.
"Underserved area." An area within this Commonwealth that is
demonstrated to have limited access to fixed broadband services
or mobile broadband services.
"Unserved area." An area within this Commonwealth that is
demonstrated to not have access to fixed broadband services or
mobile broadband services.
Section 3. Inventory of State-owned assets.
Under the act of June 15, 1972 (P.L.395, No.117), entitled
"An act providing for an inventory of all Commonwealth real
property, except highway rights-of-way to be prepared by the
Department of Property and Supplies, for its availability to the
public, for its updating, and for cooperation by all State
governmental agencies; and making an appropriation," and section
508(b) of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as
The Administrative Code of 1929, the department shall include in
its inventories and surveys of real estate structures and assets
information on possible use of those assets for fixed broadband
services or mobile broadband services. The information shall be
used by the department or its designee when analyzing resources
available in providing broadband services in unserved areas and
underserved areas.
Section 4. Inventory of county-owned assets.
(a) Preparation of inventories.--A county may prepare and
periodically update an inventory of county-owned assets that are
available and may be used to provide broadband services in
unserved areas and underserved areas.
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(b) Transmission to department.--A county inventory prepared
under subsection (a) may be transmitted to the department and
shall be included in the information used by the department
under section 3 when analyzing resources available to provide
broadband services in unserved areas and underserved areas.
Section 5. Lease or conveyance of State-owned assets.
(a) Licensing.--Subject to the guidelines adopted by the
department under section 7, the State agency having
responsibility for a State-owned asset for fixed broadband
services or mobile broadband services in an unserved area or
underserved area may lease or convey a license or other interest
in the asset to a qualified provider in order to permit the use
of the asset by the qualified provider in its deployment of
fixed broadband services or mobile broadband services within the
unserved area or underserved area or portion of that unserved
area or underserved area.
(b) Evidence of compliance.--The requirement under
subsection (a) is subject to the qualified provider presenting
to the State agency evidence of compliance with structural,
permitting and other guidelines under section 7, which shall be
reviewed by the department or its designee.
Section 6. Broadband Services Restricted Account.
(a) Establishment.--The Broadband Services Restricted
Account is established in the General Fund. The money in the
restricted account is appropriated on a continuing basis to the
department for the purpose of deploying high-speed broadband
services in unserved areas and underserved areas.
(b) Funding.--The following shall be deposited into the
restricted account established under subsection (a):
(1) All revenue generated from leases, licenses or other
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interests in assets authorized by this act.
(2) All revenue generated from the contract entered into
between the department and a wireless infrastructure program
manage