Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — There’s still no agreement among Republican lawmakers on how much the state should spend to extend broadband service in Iowa — but it appears they’re edging closer to the amount Governor Kim Reynolds has proposed.
Representative Phil Thompson of Jefferson says he and his fellow Republicans haven’t been able to hammer that number down yet.
(as said) “I want to be really close to that governor’s number and be aggressive with this,”Thompson says.
Republicans on a House subcommittee say newly-approved federal funds to cover other state expenses likely frees up the 450 million Reynolds requested over the next three years. Representative John Wills of Spirit Lake, the third-ranking Republican in the House, says the final broadband plan will probably be at or near 450 million.
(as said) “I think that it is imperative that we have this build-out so that Iowa stays and is competitive,” Wills says.
The governor had suggested that all companies getting state grants extend broadband service with speeds of 100 megabits per second, but the bill that cleared a House subcommittee on Thursday backed away from that high-speed requirement.
(as said) “It’s never done until it’s done, but we’re having some really constructive conversations,” Reynolds says.
The governor says she’s optimistic she and the legislature will find common ground and a broadband expansion plan will be passed by the House and Senate this year.
