Florida Senate - 2025                                    SB 1642
       
       
        
       By Senator Bernard
       
       
       
       
       
       24-01839-25                                           20251642__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to high-speed broadband development
    3         incentives; creating s. 288.9964, F.S.; providing a
    4         short title; providing legislative findings; defining
    5         terms; creating a state-funded grant program within
    6         the Florida Office of Broadband; providing a purpose
    7         for the program; providing eligibility criteria;
    8         requiring the office to give funding priority to
    9         specified partnerships and organizations; specifying
   10         limits on annual funding; requiring funding recipients
   11         to provide annual progress reports containing
   12         specified information; requiring the office to conduct
   13         performance audits; authorizing farmers in underserved
   14         farming communities to receive specified tax credits
   15         if certain conditions are met; specifying projects
   16         eligible for tax credits; requiring the office to
   17         conduct specified public awareness campaigns and
   18         provide technical training programs; providing an
   19         expiration date; providing an effective date.
   20          
   21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   22  
   23         Section 1. Section 288.9964, Florida Statutes, is created
   24  to read:
   25         288.9964 Rural connectivity.—
   26         (1) This section may be cited as the “Rural Connectivity
   27  Innovation Act.”
   28         (2) The Legislature finds that:
   29         (a) Access to high-speed broadband Internet service is
   30  essential for modern agricultural operations as well as rural
   31  economic development.
   32         (b) Underserved farming communities face significant
   33  challenges due to limited access to broadband Internet service.
   34         (c) Public-private partnerships and targeted incentives can
   35  drive innovation and improve connectivity in rural areas.
   36         (3) For purposes of this section, the term:
   37         (a) “Broadband-enabled technologies” means digital tools
   38  and systems used in agriculture, including precision farming,
   39  smart irrigation, and automated machinery.
   40         (b) “Eligible applicant” means a public-private
   41  partnership, a local government, or a cooperative organization
   42  that proposes a broadband infrastructure project, which may
   43  include broadband-enabled technologies.
   44         (c) “Underserved farming community” means a rural farming
   45  area with limited or no access to high-speed broadband Internet
   46  services.
   47         (4)(a) There is created within the Florida Office of
   48  Broadband a state-funded grant program. The purpose of the grant
   49  program is to fund broadband infrastructure projects in
   50  underserved communities, including underserved farming
   51  communities.
   52         1. To be eligible to receive grant funds, an applicant must
   53  demonstrate a commitment to serving underserved communities and
   54  must outline a plan for maintaining existing infrastructure.
   55         2. The office must give funding priority to public-private
   56  partnerships and cooperative organizations.
   57         3. Total funding for the grant program may not exceed $50
   58  million annually.
   59         (b) Recipients under the state-funded grant program must
   60  submit annual progress reports detailing project milestones,
   61  expenditures, and broadband access improvements.
   62         (c) The office must conduct performance audits to ensure
   63  funds are used effectively and equitably.
   64         (5)(a) A farmer in an underserved farming community who
   65  purchases, installs, or maintains broadband-enabled technologies
   66  may receive state tax credits of up to $10,000 annually.
   67         (b) Eligible expenses for tax credits include the purchase,
   68  installation, and maintenance of broadband-enabled technologies.
   69         (6) The office must:
   70         (a) Conduct public awareness campaigns to inform rural
   71  communities about grant opportunities and inform farmers in
   72  underserved farming communities about the tax credits.
   73         (b) Provide technical training programs to help farmers
   74  adopt and use broadband-enabled technologies.
   75         (7) This section shall remain in effect until December 31,
   76  2030, unless extended or amended by the Legislature.
   77         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.