By Rep. Steve Davisson
Increasingly used daily for everything from schoolwork to selling products online, the internet is an ever-growing necessity. This past year, the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the urgent need for increasing broadband access across Indiana, especially in unserved and underserved areas, as many transitioned to learning and working remotely. To address the gaps in internet connection across the state, I supported new laws this session investing in broadband and prioritizing access for students, schools and rural health clinics.
To increase access across the state, Indiana’s next two-year budget allocates $250 million toward rural broadband expansion grants. Providers will use these grants to increase service in communities most in need. According to a Purdue University study, every dollar invested in broadband could have a return of $3 to $4. Not only will this investment help connect those of us living in remote areas of the state, but it could also spur growth in our communities.
A new law bolstering the Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program will ensure the needs of students, schools and health clinics in rural areas are prioritized when it comes to funding. This program, which is managed by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, provides grant funding to supply reliable and affordable broadband service to areas of the state without strong internet connections. With this law, OCRA will first deploy these grants to unserved areas most in need.
Through a new voucher program, schools and health care clinics can receive funds to cover the costs for obtaining better internet speeds and higher-quality connections. Students will be able to self-report a lack of educational broadband service through a portal on the OCRA website. Then through a reverse auction process, broadband companies that can provide service to the student’s household for the lowest amount of money will be awarded a Next Level Connections grant.
These targeted investments will help connect Hoosiers to new opportunities and resources to succeed in an ever-growing digital world. Whether it’s used for learning, expanding business operations or connecting with a loved one, reliable internet service has shifted from a luxury to a need for many. To learn more about the efforts across the state to increase broadband in rural areas, visit in.gov/ocra.
State Rep. Steve Davisson, R-Salem, represents House District 73, which includes
Washington County and portions of Jackson, Lawrence, Orange, Clark and Harrison counties.