A bill that would provide $20 million dollars in grants for broadband expansion in rural areas won the unanimous support of the Senate Monday, May 4.
Sponsored by Senator Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, the bill would provide $8 million dollars to support access to high-speed internet for students involved in distance-learning due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, $2 million dollars in grants would be available to support the purchase of equipment to address COVID-19-related telehealth services in rural areas, and $10 million dollars would provide permanent high-speed internet to unserved rural and urban areas of the state.
