HB1702 – Creates $100 B&O tax credit for each residential broadband installation and tax exemptions for developing and manufacturing broadband satellites.
Prime Sponsor – Representative Boehnke (R; 8th District; Tri-Cities)
Current status – Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Tribal Affairs on Monday February 21st at 9:30 AM
Next step would be – Action by the committee.
Legislative tracking page for the bill.

Comments –
The bill specifies that most of these benefits only apply to broadband for residences or businesses; however, its final provision would seem to exempt any research and development activities in satellite manufacturing, launch, and communications, of whatever kind, from the B&O tax.

Summary –
The bill would provide a $100 credit against their business and occupation tax to broadband service providers for each new installation that supplies service meeting the State’s speed standards to a residential customer who didn’t already have that.
It would also exempt manufacturing low earth orbit satellites and components used to provide broadband service to a residence or business; antennae or other hardware for receiving signals at these locations; and “research and development activities in satellite manufacturing, launch, and communications” from the B&O tax.

(Each of these tax benefits would be available for six years, until the end of 2027.)