HB1673 –Authorizes loans and grants for emergency public works broadband projects, and no longer requires UTC assessments of applications’ technical feasibility.
Prime Sponsor – Representative Ryu (D; 32nd District; Shoreline) (Co-Sponsors Representatives Donaghy -D, Leavitt -D, and Boehnke -R) (By request of the Public Works Board)
Current status – Cancelled hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy and Technology on February 17th. Amended to prioritize funding projects that replace existing providers’ damaged infrastructure, specifying that the Board “shall not provide funds to a new provider to overbuild the existing provider,” and passed out of committee February 22nd. Referred to Rules, and passed by the Senate March 4th.
Next step would be – To the Governor.
Legislative tracking page for the bill.
SB5580 is a companion bill in the Senate.

In the House – Passed
Had a hearing in the House Committee on Community and Economic Development January 11th; replaced by a substitute and passed out of committee January 14th. (There’s a staff summary of the substitute’s changes in a memo.) Had a hearing in the Committee on the Capital Budget February 1st, and passed out of committee February 4th. Referred to Rules February 7th. Amended on the floor to allow an existing provider to object to a project if the service they provide or commit to providing meets the State’s 2024 speed standards of 25Mb/sec download and 3Mb/sec upload, rather than the 2028 goals which increase to at least 150Mb/sec in both directions. Passed by the House unanimously February 10th.

Summary –
The bill would authorize the board to make low-interest or interest-free loans or grants for emergency public works broadband projects, including the construction, repair, reconstruction, replacement, rehabilitation, or improvement to critical broadband infrastructure damaged by unforeseen events.

It would no longer require the board to consult with the Utilities and Transportation Commission to assessments of the technical feasibility of applications and to consider those as part of its evaluations of them.

It would also make financial and commercial information and records supplied by businesses or individuals in applying for loans or program services exempt from disclosure under the public records act, and make very minor changes in the processes for applications and for objections by current providers.