Executive Summary
According to the 2019 American Community Survey, 15% of Missourians do not have access to broadband internet. Filed in the 2022 Missouri Legislative Session, SB 848 and HB 2015 would establish the Electrical Corporation Broadband Authorization Act, allowing electrical corporations to provide broadband infrastructure services to a third-party for resale to an end-customer. Under current Missouri Statute (RsMO 386.020), electrical corporations do not include municipally-owned electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives. An electrical corporation would not be able to sell broadband internet services directly to an end-user under these bills. Additionally, investment in broadband infrastructure will be included in the calculation of an electrical corporation’s base rate. This utility-leasing model is a relatively new method to expand broadband deployment.
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