As a candidate on the campaign trail and now an elected official in Frankfort, I have spent the larger part of the past year standing up for conservative principles and fighting for the values that will help Kentucky’s rural communities grow and prosper in 2021 and beyond.
All across this area, I’ve heard from my constituents about the challenges they’re facing as business owners, educators, farmers, and healthcare professionals. One key burden I hear about time and time again is insufficient broadband connectivity.
Nearly 300,000 Kentuckians still don’t have access to a high-speed internet connection and the boundless tools and opportunities it provides to compete in the 21st century. That “digital divide” is greatest in rural areas of our state, where communities face extra hurdles to create jobs, educate students, or just deliver modern health care services.
We cannot allow this gap in access to persist—all rural Kentuckians deserve access to reliable, high-speed broadband. Thankfully, a renewed focus on the broadband gap by policymakers in Frankfort and Washington offers promise towards finally closing the digital divide.
During the past legislative session, I was proud to vote for House Bill 320 and House Bill 382, which allocated $300 Million to fund broadband infrastructure projects in unserved and underserved areas of the state. This legislation builds on an announcement made earlier this year by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which awarded broadband providers in Bracken, Fleming, Mason and Robertson counties more than $8 Million to expand broadband to over 3,800 homes and small businesses in this region.
These investments are extremely important and demonstrate that there is light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to expanding broadband to every corner of the Commonwealth. However, it is also critical that broadband providers can quickly build this infrastructure.
The outcome of an important, ongoing Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) rulemaking regarding utility pole attachments could also have a major positive impact on speed and cost of connecting more rural areas. It addresses some of the lesser-known – but most stubborn – obstacles to deployment, which are the complicated, costly hurdles that broadband providers face when trying to attach new infrastructure to wooden utility poles throughout the state. The absence of clear regulations leaves broadband providers exposed to burdensome delays and unpredictable costs, such as forcing these providers to pay for the entire cost of replacing old or damaged poles.
We must do everything we can to bring broadband to every Kentucky family and business. We have a tremendous opportunity in front of us to expand broadband by ensuring the necessary financial investments are being made in last-mile service, as well as implementing clear, fair rules for deploying this critical infrastructure. Working together, we can create a more connected and prosperous future for all Kentuckians.
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Representative William Lawrence (R) represents the 70th district of Kentucky, including Bracken, Fleming, Mason, and Robertson Counties.
