5. Rasmusson legislation to efficiently close broadband holes enacted _ Local News _ voiceofalexandria.com6/13/22, 9:18 AM Rasmusson legislation to efficiently close broadband holes enacted | Local News | voiceofalexandria.com
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Rasmusson legislation to efficiently close broadband holes
enacted
Mark Anthony
Jun 10, 2022
(Rep. Jordan Rasmussen picture courtesy: Minnesota Legislature)
Paul Battaglia
ST. PAUL – Legislative Rep. Jordan Rasmusson, R-Fergus Falls, chief authored as a cost-effective
approach to closing gaps in internet access has been enacted into law.
6/13/22, 9:18 AM Rasmusson legislation to efficiently close broadband holes enacted | Local News | voiceofalexandria.com
https://www.voiceofalexandria.com/news/local/rasmusson-legislation-to-efficiently-close-broadband-holes-enacted/article_2f0f1c92-e8c3-11ec-9021-3f…2/3
Mark Anthony
Language from Rasmusson’s bill (H.F. 3605) was included in an omnibus package with provisions
related to agriculture and drought relief (H.F. 3420), which passed both bodies late in the 2022
session and then gained Gov. Tim Walz’s approval.
Rasmusson said the bill aims to ensure small areas of homes and businesses are included as
Minnesota works to finish the job of connecting the state to ubiquitous broadband. His language
creates an additional tool for the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development to help reach small
pockets of unserved homes and businesses.
“Minnesota is on the cusp of deploying an unprecedented amount of funding for broadband
deployment and we need to maximize the effectiveness and efficient use of these dollars,”
Rasmusson said.
Through Rasmusson’s measure, the OBD will create a portal for people to report that broadband is
not available at their residence or business. Then, providers will bid on the amount of requested
subsidy to provide service, and the OBD will select the lowest-cost bidder, using federal broadband
funds to pick up the cost. The line extension program would include a maximum project cost to keep
program costs under control.
“Representative Jordan Rasmusson's leadership at the Capitol will expand broadband coverage in
hard-to-reach areas of Minnesota,” said Dave Arvig, COO of Arvig Enterprises. “This new program
helps ensure small pockets of homes or businesses are not left behind because extending the line is
too expensive.”
“Our goal has been to keep this program as simple and flexible as possible,” Rasmusson said. “We
recognize part of the current problem is providers and the state are not going to go through a time-
consuming and prescriptive grant process for one or two homes. Programs such as Minnesota’s
excellent Border to Border program, or a federal grant application, currently are not scaled small
enough to reach these locations.
“The process we are implementing is consumer driven, with components similar to an Indiana
program that has been extremely successful and has a number of other states following suit. I look
forward to seeing positive results from this bill both in our area and around the state.”
6/13/22, 9:18 AM Rasmusson legislation to efficiently close broadband holes enacted | Local News | voiceofalexandria.com
https://www.voiceofalexandria.com/news/local/rasmusson-legislation-to-efficiently-close-broadband-holes-enacted/article_2f0f1c92-e8c3-11ec-9021-3f…3/3